My Breaking Dawn
by Wanna Bet-the original
Summary: What I think will happen in Breaking Dawn. Bella and Edward are getting married, but the one person Bella most wants there is in Canada. But what will happen when two unexpected guests show up on the night of the wedding?Much better than it sounds-COMPLET
1. An Idea

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters mentioned here. They are all Stephenie Meyer's. I am just toying around with this story. Read the teaser in the SE of Eclipse for this to make sense!**

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Alice finished pinning my dress and I emerged from my happy place, ready to get out of it. She unzipped the back and I let it fall to the ground, glad to be rid of the thing. I put my jeans back on and put back on my shirt as Alice put it back on a hanger and into its garment bag.

"Bella?" She asked, slightly apprehensively.

"Yeah, Alice?"

She turned to look at me and then walked toward me to take my left hand in hers. She ran her thumb over the diamond on my finger.

"You would never do anything to hurt my brother would you?"

"Alice, I –"

"Oh, what a silly question of course you wouldn't. But if you had any problems with the events of the next few days, you would tell him, right?"

"Alice, I love Edward with every fiber of my being. I would never hurt him purposefully."

"Okay. I am so excited Bella!"

"Yeah. So am I." Thought I knew that we weren't excited about the same thing. I was feigning enthusiasm for this wedding. I knew I needed to do it for Charlie and Renee, and the Cullens, especially Edward. That's a good reason to do something, isn't it? To make the most important people in my life happy? I mean, if they are happy, I should be happy. So why wasn't I happy about the upcoming events?

I knew the exact answer. It was hanging on the telephone poles that lined my street. It hurt me that I was the reason for Jake running away. I had made my choice. Why couldn't he be man enough and a good enough friend to be happy for me like a normal person. Even Charlie was at least pretending to be happy for me – most of the time. Why did he have to run away? Why couldn't he be there to support me for this, when I needed him most. When I needed someone to back me up in my decision.

It was stupid for me to expect Jake to back up this decision. But wasn't it the job of your best friend to tell you they back you up, once they've realized that disagreeing with you wasn't going to make you change your mind?

That's when I made my decision. I would tell Jake in person that he was being a loser for running away. I had a few days before the wedding, surely I could make it to Canada in time. Especially if I kept my word to Alice and told Edward what I was thinking. He drove faster than anyone else I knew. Though, getting him to go along with this was going to take some serious effort.

Chapter Two

I went to pick up my phone, but as soon as I did, it rang in my hand.

"Hello?" I said, a little startled by the coincidence.

"No." The velvety voice on the other end said flatly.

"Edward?"

"No. Jake is a big boy Bella. You made your choice and he made his. You have to let it be."

"Edward, how did you-nevermind. Alice."

"Yes, Alice. You seemed a little on edge at your fitting today so she was keeping an extra close watch on you."

"Edward-he was there for me during…" I trailed off. I really hated bring up that less than golden part of our relationship. "He was there for me, Edward, when I really needed him. Despite how set I am in what we are doing, this isn't an easy thing for me. I am terrified. No-wait, that sounded bad. I am not terrified of marrying you or of the … honeymoon. But I was raised to be apprehensive of this whole marriage-thing. I want to do it right. I want all the people I care about to be there. In a way, this is my goodbye to them all. And like it or not, Jake is one of those people to me, Edward."

"I still have to say 'no' Bella. I know how much that decision may hurt you, and I am sorry for that. But he has been living wild for a while now. Even if we did find him, he may not the control he used to claim to have. I would hate to hurt him in front of you if he were to hurt you."

The tears were welling up in my eyes, which caused me to delay my response to Edward. I didn't want him to know how hurt I was by his response. I wasn't sure if I was upset by what he said, or if it was because I knew he was right. Jake wouldn't listen to me. And even if he did, he wouldn't change his mind. But I felt like I at least needed to try. That he deserved that chance.

"Bella?" I could hear the concern in his voice. "Bella, honey, say something. Let me know you are still there and not halfway to the border."

I mustered as much control as I could. "I am here." Darn it. My voice broke on here. I had been betrayed by myself.

"Bella, why are you crying?"

"I am not crying." Darn, it broke again.

"Isabella Swan. You are a horrible actress. Even when I cannot see your face. I will be at your house later tonight. And I expect you to still be there when I arrive. I will not allow this dog to ruin our wedding day and I would appreciate it if you would do the same. He is almost a grown man, he is no longer a puppy and you cannot go running after him. You are not his mother. He will come back when he comes back. I love you."

"I love you too." I managed before I hung up the phone and sat down on my bed, hanging my head in my hands and letting my emotions take over me. I cried for several minutes, maybe even 15, before I heard Charlie calling my name up the stairs.

"Bells?" he called, a little apprehensively. He had no doubt noticed that I had failed to come down in the at least 30 minutes since Alice had left our house. I wiped my eyes and regained my composure before going downstairs. I didn't doubt that Charlie would offer to call off this wedding at the first sign of my unhappiness.


	2. Good News

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

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When I reached the top of the stairs , I saw Charlie standing at the bottom, leaning on the banister and looking up at me.

"Is everything okay Bella?"

"Yea Dad, everything is fine." I began descending the stairs.

"You just seem a little down, Bells."

"I'm fine Dad." I had reached the bottom of the stairs. I could now smell the reason of his calling. "Dinner ready?"

"Yeah," Charlie replied, realizing the subject was closed. "I don't know how well I did, but I have to start cooking for myself, what with you…"

We had both avoided the M word. I knew what he meant though and I just nodded my head and continued on my path to the kitchen, closing yet another topic of conversation.

We ate in silence, burnt chicken and overdone pasta. I ate it with a smile on my face. I didn't know how Charlie had survived before I got to Forks. And I worried how he was going to survive when I was gone. This was our third meal this week that had been over cooked. I guess I could be thankful they were never undercooked; then we would really have cause for worry.

As we were finishing up and I was putting dishes in the sink, there was a knock at the door. I looked at Charlie and could tell by the way his face had fallen, that mine had lit up at the prospect of who we both knew it was. I was doing the dishes, so Charlie begrudgingly got up to answer the door. I could hear the tone in his voice change as he greeted our guest, though I couldn't hear who he had greeted. I knew it wasn't Edward though. Charlie would never be that happy to see Edward.

"Bells, come on out here and see who it is!" Charlie called from the front of the house.

I finished the plate I was washing and dried my hands on a dishtowel before going to the front of the house. I was instantly surprised to see the form of Billy Black, seated in his wheelchair, making his way into our living room.

"Billy!" I exclaimed, surprised at his sudden apparition, but also slightly nervous as I knew Edward would be coming soon.

"Hello Bella," He replied, not at all cheerful in his expression or tone. He looked at me with a scowl on his face and I knew he blamed me for all this trouble. And at the heart of it all, I was to blame.

"Billy said he had some good news that he couldn't call to tell us, that he had to come by for."

"Really?" I said, looking from Charlie to Billy.

"Yes," Billy said, not taking his eyes off me. "Jacob called. He has notified me of his location."

"That's great Billy! Where is he?" Charlie exclaimed.

"He is staying with some friends of ours in Canada at the At Theresa Point reservation in Manitoba. About a two days drive from here."

"Do you need someone to go get him?" Charlie asked, obviously offering to go drag Jacob back to La Push.

"No," Billy said, finally looking at Charlie. "He seems content to be with our friends. When he is ready to come home, I am sure Sam will be more than willing to go pick him up."

"Well, I should get going, Sam was nice enough to drive me out here and I am sure he would like to get back home to Emily."

"Are you sure Billy? The game is about to start."

"Yes, I am sure. I will talk to you later Charlie. Best Wishes Bella, in case I don't make it out this way on Saturday."

"Thank you Billy." I replied. I stood in the doorway of the kitchen as I watched Charlie help his old friend out the door of our house and walked him out to the waiting Sam. When they were safely out the door, I made my way to the living room window and watched Sam and Charlie get Billy into the car."

"What was that all about?" I heard the velvet voice say behind me. I jumped at his sudden presence.

"Jake contacted Billy. So Billy came to tell Charlie." I said without turning around to look at him.

"Where is he?"

"Manitoba." I said, still staring into the rain out the window. "Uh-oh, here comes Charlie."

I felt his cold lips on the back of my neck and then he was gone. I heard the back door close behind him. I knew he would be back as soon as Charlie was back inside. Coming over to visit me for the night.

Charlie came back in, not too long after Edward left my side. His was dripping wet.

"Isn't that great news Bella?" Charlie asked, still beaming.

"It's fantastic news, Dad." I said, walking back to the kitchen. Charlie followed me."I just wish he was coming home. It would really mean a lot to me if he was here on Saturday. Being my best friend and all."

"Well, we can always postpone the wedding until he gets back."

"I don't think so Dad."

"Well, he's got three days. You never know."

"Yea, you never know." I mumbled to myself as the doorbell rang. Charlie and I exchanged glances, the excitement returning to my face, the chagrin to his. We both knew who was at the door. Charlie went to answer it as my hands were once again in the sink.

"Hello Edward." I heard him say, no emotion in his voice.

**Well, now that Bella knows where Jake is, will she be able to stay away? We'll have to see...**


	3. Everything will be all right

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

**A/N: I have never been to the airport in Port Angeles, so I just kinda envisioned my home airport. Its really small, so I think it works.**

* * *

My heart leapt in my chest. It was the one person in the world I wished to see right now. All the confusion of the thoughts rolling over in my head and the nausea I felt in my stomach went away in that one word. _Edward._

I ran to the living room to see Charlie, mostly blocking the door. But he couldn't keep me from seeing at least part of my Edward. That part I loved most. His face, looking at me over my father's shoulder. He wasn't smiling, but that didn't make the creature before me any less god-like in my eyes. He could have a spot on Olympus any day.

I cleared my throat, which caused Charlie to look over his shoulder and sigh as he unblocked the door for Edward to come in. I could see the rest of him now, and his spot on Olympus was sealed in my mind. He was wearing a cream button up with a brown suede jacket over it, the brown complementing his tousled bronze hair exquisitely. As he stood there, I remembered why I had fallen in love with him in the first place, and made me wonder why he had ever fallen in love with me.

"Edward," I breathed as I ran to him as though I had not seen him in months, years-rather than the hours we had been apart. It was becoming harder than other to be away from him, for two main reasons. One, I knew that soon we would never again be apart, and that anticipation made the time apart so hard. Second, life with Charlie was fast becoming unbearable.

We watched the game with Charlie that night and then Edward "left" and I excused myself to my bedroom, unable to take the looks Charlie was throwing at us (or me) anymore. Seeing a grown man pout was one of the worst things to ever see in the world.

Edward was waiting for me on my bed and I excused myself to the bathroom before lying down with him for the night. He was still there when I woke up the next morning and he and I spent the whole day together, rattling around Forks. Several people stared, but it didn't bother me as much today. Not with Edward beside me.

That night he slept in my room again, for what would be the last time. Edward was old-fashioned in everything else, so why shouldn't he be in this? He believed it was bad luck to see me the day before the wedding, and was therefore, refusing to spend the night with me the night before our wedding. I didn't see the point in reminding him that he considered himself already damned, so what was a little bad luck?

The next morning he left me for a time to go hunting. Tonight was the rehearsal dinner, and the Cullens wanted to be as in control of themselves as possible. I still hadn't figured out what the Cullens were going to at the dinner tonight. Surely, my mom would notice that her in-laws-to-be didn't eat anything. You could always count on Renee to notice things like that.

I was supposed to go pick Renee up at the airport this morning. She and Phil were flying in today to spend the weekend in Forks. They were staying in the one of the two hotels in town, thankfully. I can only imagine the fireworks that would fly if she had to spend any extended amount of time in this house, especially when she failed to back Charlie up with my marriage and all.

I drove the hour long drive in my car, for once, in a way, glad that my truck had chosen to die before the nuptials. The drive would have taken twice as long in the old Chevy. I made it to the airport with 30 minutes to spare. I figured I should go inside the airport, rather than sitting in my car. The morning rain had stopped, but the cloud cover held. Typical Forks, even if I was in Port Angeles. The weird thing was, part of me found myself thinking about how I would miss this when I was gone.

I stepped inside the airport at Port Angeles and found the flight board. Renee and Phil's flight was arriving early, 15 minutes early in fact. And since I had spent 10 minutes in my car trying to decide if I wanted to go in early or not, I only had five minutes before the plane landed. I walked to the area where passengers emerged in the public part of the airport. I stood there, staring at the gates through security and witnessing the happy reunions of the people who had just disembarked some plane from California.

I turned away from them, only to be greeted, on the pole I had been leaning on the other side of, with the face of Jacob Black. His eyes seemed to stare into mine, though I knew it was a photo.

My mind suddenly seemed to race. Jake was in Canada, Manitoba to be exact. It was a three day drive to Manitoba. What was three days? Soon, I would have eternity. This would hurt Edward. But wouldn't he be okay if this made me truly happy? Alice would see what I was doing. I quickly changed my mind about everything, at least for now. I would only rethink this line when it was too late for her to do anything about it.

The voice on the intercom announced that the flight from Seattle had arrived. Renee was here. I caught a look at myself in the reflective glass of a window and saw that apparently, standing there in front of that column, I had begun to cry. I hastily wiped away all the tears and hoped that my eyes weren't too blood shot. I was trying to think of a viable reason I had been crying as I saw Renee come through security. She caught sight of me and a wide smile spread across her face.

"Bella!" she called and waved as she rushed to me. She hugged me like she hadn't seen me in months, which wasn't entirely untrue, and for a few moments, in the weirdest way, I was six and everything was going to be all right.

Though, in my heart, I knew there was only one way that _everything _was going to be all right. And it required me driving to Canada.


	4. Pleas listened to

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

* * *

I managed not to trip at all throughout the rehearsal, a personal best for me. I imagined how wonderful this would be tomorrow, when it was reality.

Dinner was a lively affair in my house that night. Edward and Charlie were already at odds, and on top of that, I had the rest of the Cullens, the only one of which Charlie was amiable to was Alice, and Renee and Phil, who, despite being a ball player, Charlie was destined to hate. Not only was this because he had married his ex-wife, but also because the events of tomorrow had caused Charlie to begin hating everyone, including me, though I could only see this hatred in his eyes, never his actions. That was the good thing about Charlie. I don't think he could ever hate me.

After dinner, polite conversation having been made by Renee the whole time, the rest of us choosing to eat in silence, Renee and Phil quickly left. Edward lingered only a little while after that. When he decided to leave, I walked him out to his car. I stood at his driver side door, facing his car, and he leaned against the side of it, facing me.

We just stood there for a while before a broad grin spread across his face.

"What?" I asked him, unable to suppress a slight giggle at the expression on his face.

"Charlie is watching us from the window. He is hoping something will happen that will cause you to change your mind and call off the wedding tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes and sighed before standing on tiptoe and kissing Edward, opening one eye just in time to see Charlie disappear from the living room window. I broke away and return my feet flat to the ground, looking at Edward, who looked slightly stunned, as he always did when I kissed him by surprise.

"Sorry," I mumbled, suddenly taking great interest in my shoes, rather than looking at his face.

"No, it's okay. Anyway, it was worth it to hear that thought go through Charlie's head."

"What was it?"

"Maybe I'll tell you sometime."

I pouted at Edward, which only caused his grin to broaden more.

"I will see you tomorrow my love. I will be the one in the tuxedo in front."

"How will I be able to tell you apart from Carlisle? He'll be in a tux too, being your best man and all."

"I think you'll manage to tell the difference. Besides, I don't think Charlie would approve of giving you away to an already married man any more than he approves of giving you away to me."

"Well, I will be the one in white, in case I head for the wrong tuxedo –clad man."

"Dually noted. I love you Bella."

"I love you too Edward."

He bent down to kiss me, this kiss more passionate than the impromptu last one. As we were kissing, a light rain began to fall. We broke apart.

"Bye."

And with that, Edward got into his car and drove away, slowly for him, but still fast by human standards. I stood there for a few minutes in the rain, until I could no longer see him in the mist. Then I went inside to find Charlie staring at the TV, but not necessarily watching the game that was on. I longed to know what was going through my father's head these days, what he really thought about all this. I knew he couldn't be blissfully happy for me, but at the same time, I don't think he was as unhappy as he led on that he was.

I just stood in the doorway, staring at my father, praying to whatever higher being ruled over us all that someone, or something, would protect him when I was gone. Protect him from pain, protect him from grief, and most him all, protect him from feeling he had failed me in some way. He looked over to me and half smiled. I smiled back.

"I am going to bed Dad. Big day tomorrow." I continued smiling as I walked over to the chair in which he sat and kissed him on the forehead. "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Bells. Good night. Sweet dreams."

I went up the stairs and as I climbed them, I started to cry. I never would have thought I would miss my Dad so much. Every child leaves their parents eventually. I guess most don't do it quite as permanently as I was though.

I got to my room and shut the door. I looked around it. Everything was the same, the same as it had been when I first came to Forks, the same as it had been since Renee had taken me away. The only difference was that most of my stuff was packed away in boxes, preparing for my move from this house. These four walls had been sanctuary too often, especially those months I had been a hollow shell.

Jacob. There he was, gnawing at my thoughts again. Could I really go through with this tomorrow without him there? He who had gotten me through so many other things? I knew the answer to my question before I even asked it of myself. And that was the reason I got off the bed and went digging in my closet for the one bag left I hadn't packed yet; my old duffel bag.

I remembered the last time I had packed it in this room. Edward was there and I was packing to run for my life from a vampire who had wanted my blood for no apparent reason other than the thrill of evoking a reaction from Edward.

I was much calmer in my packing this time, though still rather rushed, because I knew the minute I had made up my mind, Alice had saw it. As I was placing a pair of jeans in the bag, my back to the window, I felt a cold breeze blow in. I knew who it was. Or at least I thought it was.

When I turned to face the vampire I knew had come to stop me, I was shocked to find it wasn't the bronze haired boy I was supposed to marry tomorrow. It was my pixie-like maid of honor. Or matron in her case, but no one outside my vampire family knew that she had been married for a few decades.

"Alice?"

"Don't do it Bella. Please?"

"Alice, I –"

"Bella I saw your plan in my head. I know you are going to do. I came to talk some sense into you before I told my brother. I can't bear to see him hurt Bella. Most of all by you."

"Alice, please understand. I have to do this. I have to find him, I have to make this right. I'll be gone a few days. I tried to reason it with Edward, but he is stubborn as ever. Please. Keep him safe, keep him here. I will be back. And I want to know he'll still be here waiting for me."

"We can't have everything we want in this world, Bella. Eventually we have to choose. If you choose to leave tonight, I can't guarantee you anything. The future can change in the blink of an eye. But as hurt as he will be, if he loves you like I know he does, he will still be here."

"You won't tell him?"

Alice shook her head. "He'll find out soon enough."

"Thank you Alice. You're going to make a great sister to me, you know that?"

"Yeah, I did." A small grin spread across her face, enjoying our little inside joke. "Just be safe Bella. And hurry back. I don't know how long we can keep him under house-arrest."

"I will be back as soon as I can."

Alice gave me a little hug before disappearing out my window. After my bag was packed, I sat down at my desk and wrote two letters, the first to Charlie and Renee, explaining the delay as they should explain it to my guests. My second was to Edward.

_My Love-_

_By now, you have undoubtedly realized that I am not marrying you today. I wish I was. Know that. I really wish I was. _

_But I have to try, Edward. I have to try to reason with him. At least, apologize to him. I hurt him Edward and I have to set things right before we can be together. _

_Please wait for me, I will be back soon. I look forward to our reuniting in a few days time when we will be able to be man and wife. Until then, I hope you are not too angry with me._

_All my Love, Bella._

I sealed them both in envelopes and placed them on the pillow of my unmade bed. Then, with one last look at my emptying room, I ducked out my window and down to my car, once again thankful for the death of my truck as I never would have been able to sneak out in it.

My car started silently and I pulled out on the street, not turning on my headlights until I was in the street. I headed to the interstate getting on the I-5 bound for Seattle, heading east in the direction of Manitoba.


	5. Come Home Just come home

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

**A/N: I googled the directions from Forks to St. Theresa Point, Manitba. If you were going, this is how you would go and where you would pass through.  
Just thought I would throw that out there...**

* * *

I stopped just after I crossed into Idaho on the I-90 E. It had been 8 and a half hours since I had left and almost 5 in the morning. Soon everyone I knew would be up and be finding out that I wasn't in my bed and had no intentions of getting married today.

I reclined my seat in the rest stop I was in. I settled in to take a short nap, shooting a quick glance at my cell phone before closing my eyes. It was sitting on top of my duffle bag, motionless and dark. It had not rung since I left. Alice had been true to her word.

I awoke an hour later with a fright. I had had the most horrible dream. Jane from the Volturi was there and I was safe in Edward's arms, protecting me from that horrible woman. But that wasn't the horrifying part. Jake was there too, his lifeless body strewn on the floor at my feet. It was horrifying.

I was awake now, and looking at my cell phone, I had slept for an hour. I got back on the road, heading east. Two hours later, I was in Montana. I was halfway between Missoula and Butte when my phone started ringing. I picked it up and looked at the number. Charlie.

I pulled over to the side of the road, turned off my car and answered my phone.

"Hello?" was all I got out before the barrage occurred.

"Isabella Marie Swan!" I heard Renee's voice call in the background.

"Mom?"

"Don't you 'mom' me, Isabella, where are you?"

"Renee, give me-Renee give me the phone-Give. Me. The. Phone." There was a break, during which I could only figure the phone had been transferred from Renee to Charlie. "Bella?"

"Dad?"

"Bella, are you okay?"

"I am fine Dad. Didn't you get my note?"

"Yes, but it seemed a little…" Charlie trailed off.

"What Dad?"

"Seemed a little construed. You going after Jacob so you can marry Edward?"

"I admit it doesn't make any sense, but it's something I need to do Dad."

"Where are you?"

"Somewhere in Montana? Between Missoula and Butte."

"Do you need someone to come with you?" By someone, I knew he meant him. Or even one of Montana's finest, I didn't doubt.

"No Dad, I am fine. I just stopped and rested, and now I am on the road again. I stopped at an internet café in Seattle and got directions. I have about a day and a half left."

"Well, I am going to call Billy. Maybe he can get in touch with Jake, let him know you are on your way. That way someone knows they should be expecting you."

"Okay, Dad, that sounds great."

"Okay, Bella. Drive safe. I love you."

"Dad!" I called. I could feel a hang up coming on and wanted one more thing.

"Yes, Bella?"

"Did Edward come by?"

"Not yet Bella."

"When he does, will you please make sure he gets my letter?"

"Yes Bella."

"Thank you Daddy, I love you. Calm down Mom for me. I'm not not getting married. I just have to do this first. It's just…_postponed_."

"Yes Bella. Goodbye."

"Bye Dad."

I hung up the phone. I wiped the tears from my eyes I had not even realized had formed. I got back in my car and continued on my way. 4 hours, and a can of Amp, later my cell rang again. I was passing through Billings now. I pulled off the road again and picked up the phone. I knew who it was before I even looked at the ID. It was the one phone call I had been dreading receiving.

"Hello?" I said, trying to sound as normal as possible. The only response from the other end was a low growl. "Edward?"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't be on my way to Billings right now." I could see him in my mind's eye, hold the bridge of his nose.

"Because you love me."

"Bella-"

"Edward. I tried to get you to help me do this, and you wouldn't. So now I am doing this without you. I have to do this Edward, why don't you understand that?"

"Because the dog made his choice, Bella. He chose to run from you. He chose to run away from all of this and you running after him is not helping anything. It's only hurting the ones you profess to love most in the world."

"You in particular?"

There was a pause before he answered. "Yes."

The tears that had been welling since I had picked up the phone.

"Bella? Don't cry Bella. Please don't cry. Just come home. Come home, my love." If he could cry, I could tell from his tone that he would be too.

"Please Edward." My voice was breathy and shaking. "I have to try. Please understand that and let me do this. In the end, I promise, I will come back to you…please…"

"Okay. I am not happy about this. I am in no way happy about this. But if it means you can be with me…_all_ of you can be with me…then go. Get this over with."

"Thank you Edward. I love you."

"I love you too, Isabella Swan. And I _am_ going to marry you."

The line went dead. I put my head down on the steering wheel and cried. I didn't know what I was doing or why I was doing it, but it felt like what I needed to be doing. I couldn't explain it, I really couldn't. But I knew now that he would love me anyway. He would always love me. And I would always love him. Always.

I started the car again. I continued on the road, merging carefully from I-90 to I-94. I drove another 3 hours. I was preparing to cross the North Dakota border and the sun was high in the sky. I saw a figure standing under the "Welcome to North Dakota" sign. It was a tall figure of a man. As I approached, I noticed the figure was abnormally large and familiar looking. When I right on it I realized why.

It was Jacob Black.


	6. Roadside Reunion

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

* * *

I pulled over to the side of the road, right in front of Jacob. He was smiling at me, but not the big, Jacob-smile I was accustomed to. I turned off my engine, tousled my hair a bit, and took the keys out the ignition. Then I opened my door and stepped out into sunlight. I moved my sunglasses to the top of my head to get a clear look at Jacob. He looked good…for Jacob.

_Stop it Bella._ I thought. _You are here for only one reason._

I walked over to him and I met his eyes, cold, despite his smile.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his eyes never leaving mine as the traffic whizzed past us.

"I decided I couldn't get married without seeing scenic Montana and North Dakota." I said, trying my best to keep a straight face. "What do you think I am doing here Jake? I know Billy called you, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Or are you waiting for someone else at the North Dakota border?"

I had reached him. I wanted to reach up and touch his face. I didn't believe he was real, this face that I had only seen staring at me on telephone poles. His restraint seemed worse than mine, because as I was debating with myself, I felt his hand brush my cheek as he held my face to look up at him. He chuckled to himself.

"What?" I asked, feeling myself tense a bit in anger.

"For a second there, I thought you had become one of them, the circles under your eyes are such a deep shade. When was the last time you slept Bella?"

"Not counting the stop I made at the last border? Two nights ago."

"You still haven't answered my question you know. Why are you here?"

I bit my lower lip. I knew why I was there. And until now, I hadn't been afraid to tell anyone why that was. But suddenly, out of nowhere, the reason seemed childish and silly.

"Well?" he pressed. He had still not let go of my face. Or my gaze.

"I couldn't do it Jake. Not without my best friend there with me." I knew it was stupid, but I felt myself beginning to cry. I tried to keep my composure, but my lack of sleep left me with little energy to accomplish this goal. His thumb brushed a tear from my eye and then, the next thing I knew-He was kissing me!

For a few moments, I forgot that I was on the side of the road and that I had a fiancé waiting for me 1200 miles away. I may have even forgotten that this was not Edward-I was that starved for human companionship. So I kissed him back. Until I came to my sense. And then I pulled away.

"JAKE!"

He stood there stunned for a few moments and then regained himself, dropping his hand from my face.

"What Bella? Isn't this why you came here? Why you came running to me the day of your marriage to the parasite?"

"Jake, no! I came for the reason I told you. This is a big day for me. And I really needed my best friend there for me. But you had to run away from me and leave us all and-why am I having this argument on the side of I-94 with you?"

Jacob only shrugged but continued to look at me.

"What?" I spat at him.

"You know, you're really beautiful when you're angry."

"Oh shut up Jake." I said, turning on my heals and stalking back to my car.

"Where are you going?" he called after me. I could hear his footsteps behind me.

"Home. I don't know what I was thinking, coming here after you. Edward was right. I made my choice and you made yours and I should have just let you be. I just thought-"

His hand caught my arm and I stopped as I reached for my car door. He wasn't letting go. I turned to face him.

"Thought what?" He asked, looking down at me.

I took an interest in my shoes. "I thought you would care enough about me to want to see me off on the happiest day of my life, but I guess I was wrong." Yeah, I played the guilt card. I was going to play any card I could to get him to come back. I didn't know why this was so important to me, but I wanted him there.

I looked up at him and he smiled at me.

"I can't do that right now Bella."

"I don't want to go back without you."

"Get in the car."

"What?"

"Get in the car. If I'm not going back, and you aren't back, we need somewhere to stay until we sort this out. And you could do with some sleep I am sure. So give me your keys and get in the car. I am going to find us a hotel."

I looked at Jake incredulously.

"If it will make you feel better, I will get us separate rooms." He conceded.

"Thank you," I said, smiling and handing him the keys.

I walked around the car to the passenger side.

"Sweet ride, by the way. What happened to the truck?"

"Um, it finally had seen enough of the streets of Forks and went to car heaven."

Jake smiled. "Good for it. It had a good life."

I got in the passenger seat and strapped myself in. Jake did the same. I leaned back and put my sunglasses back over my face. I remembered Jake pulling back onto the interstate. But then I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, Jake was shaking me awake.

"Bella, wake up, we are here."

I sat up and looked around myself. The sun was getting low in the sky and we were in the parking lot of a hotel that the outward appearance worried me so much, I wondered what the inside of the rooms looked like. Jake already had our keys and was getting my bag out of the trunk.

"Jake, you don't have any clothes."

"I'll make do."

I shrugged, too tired to figure that one out. I took my key from him and walked in the direction he pointed me. I was in room 112. I opened the door, surprised by what I saw. The insides of the rooms all looked like new. Sometimes appearances are deceiving. I, of all people, should know that.

"I am going back to bed Jake. I'll see you tomorrow."

He placed my bag at the door and closed the door behind him. Without even taking my shoes off, I fell onto the closest bed and fell asleep.

* * *

**So, what did you think? I would love to hear from you... Did you think their reactions were justified and true to character? Review it and let me know. I hope to have Chapter 7 done soon...but I am taking summer classes and just don't have the time I used to.**


	7. Nightmares

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

* * *

I was walking down the aisle. All my friends were in the audience. All except Jake. I could feel my face fall as I scanned the crowd and didn't see my friend in the crowd. I looked down to the front of the aisle. I saw Edward, standing there looking stunning in his tux, Carlisle by his side.

I looked down at my dress, except it wasn't my wedding dress. I was in street clothes. I looked over at Charlie, but he wasn't walking me down the aisle, it was Aro. I jerked my arm away from him and looked out at the assembly. The church was gone, we were in the dungeons of Volterra. I looked forward again and there was the entire Cullen family, all still smiling at me, but the Volturi were there now too.

"Don't be afraid Bella." Aro said, staring at me with his ruby red eyes. They weren't cold, instead warm and inviting, only made more so by the smile on his face. "I know this is what you want." He said, touching his index finger to his temple.

I ran to Edward, who caught me in his arms and began to stroke my hair as he held me.

"Don't be afraid my love. It will all be okay. I will always be here to protect you."

I looked up at his face and quickly jerked out of his embrace. His eyes were the same shade of red as Aro's. This wasn't my Edward. This was a monster. I ran to Carlisle beside him, but his eyes were red too. I went to Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Esme, Rosalie, but each one of them had eyes as ruby as the next, the color of the horizon at the break of dawn.

I screamed in horror as they diverged upon me. Suddenly, the doors burst open and in ran the red wolf, bigger than a normal wolf. But I knew it wasn't a real wolf.

"Jake." I whispered, relieved to see someone here to save me.

The wolf charged my foes and began singlehandedly ripping them apart. Aro and the Volturi first, but then he set his sights on the Cullens.

"No, Jake, no!"

I awoke with a start. I looked around myself, remembering I wasn't at home in my bed. I was cold, but I was saddened when I looked in the bed beside me and no one was there. My air must have been too low in the room, making it cold. It didn't help that I was still dressed for the summer heat wave outside that had been happening.

I walked over to the thermostat on the wall by the door, and bumped it up a few notches. It had been at 60, no wonder I was cold. Then I pulled back the curtain from my window. I was pitch black except for the single lamp illuminating the parking lot. It must be the early morning. I was wide awake though, I knew funny sleeping patterns and I didn't get along. I thought about turning on the TV in my hotel room, but there was really only one voice in the world I wanted to hear.

It hadn't even completed the first ring before it picked up.

"Hello?" I heard my favorite velvety voice say at the other end.

I could feel the tears well up in my eyes. I really didn't understand myself right now. Why was I crying over him. I loved him. I was so confused.

"Hello?" my favorite voice said again, and I could hear the anger rising in it.

"Edward?" I said, the expectation unmistakable in my voice.

"Bella…" I could hear him breathe, the relief evident in his velvety voice. He must have looked at a clock though, because I immediately heard the tension come back into it. "Are you ok, Bella? It's 4 am! Oh, my-no! Did you have an accident? Are you hurt? Do I need to come get you?"

"Edward. Edward. Edward!" I tried to interject after every question, but he was going at a rapid fire pace and I couldn't get a word in edgewise. "EDWARD, STOP!" I practically shouted into the phone. The talking abruptly ceased. "I am fine. I'm in a hotel in…somewhere in North Dakota. Jake decided to stop-"

"You found the dog then?" There was ice in his voice.

"Yeah, I did. He was waiting for me at the North Dakota, Montana border. We talked. He wants to talk things out Edward, before he'll make the decision of whether or not to come back with me."

"Please tell me he isn't _there_ with you."

"No, no, no. That was my stipulation, we would have separate rooms."

"When are you coming home? You know we have a lot of angry people around here. Alice has been near intolerable."

Suddenly, I heard Alice's soprano in the background. "Ooooh, is that Bella? Tell her she better hurry up and get back here. Wedding cake doesn't freeze forever!"

"Did you get all that?" Edward said. I could hear the slight smile in his voice.

"Yeah, I heard all that. Tell her I'll be back as soon as humanly possible."

"That's no good. Humans are so slow!" I heard Alice say in the background. That made me chuckle.

"I hope to come home soon. I'll call you when I am ready to leave? Then you gusys can meet me somewhere, and I will get back all the sooner?"

"Sounds like a really good idea. It makes me ready wish that moment was right now."

"Me too, Edward."

"So let's make it now. Say the word. I can be there in an hour, at most."

"I can't do that Edward. He deserves a chance. And before…everything happens, I have to make this okay."

"I know Bella. I just keep hoping you will change your mind."

"Have no fear Edward. I am going to come home to you."

"I know you are."

"That confident of my love for you, are you?"

"Well, there's that. And I happen to have a sister who can see the future."

I smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too Bella. Have a good day."

"You too. Keep Alice in line."

"I will."

"Bye."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and went to get in the shower. I turned the water on and stepped into the warm water. I started to cry. What was I doing? More importantly, what was that dream I had had? I didn't know any of the answers, so I just let the water wash over me while I cried for no apparent reason.

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****

Yeah, I don't know why Bella is crying so much. Normally Bella doesnt cry a lot. Maybe I am making up for lost time? Or, I just got done reading the Odyssey...there is a lot of weeping in that. I just think she is really confused and unsure of what she wants. And that confliction is causing her to cry... a lot. I will try to have Bella go on fewer crying jags in the future.

**So what are you thinking? You like it? You don't? It's really easy to tell me your opinion. Just click the review button. I respond to all of them. So what are you waiting for?! I, personally, am waiting to hear from you... :)**


	8. Home to Stay

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

**A/N: The song Bella hears is "Home to Stay" by Josh Groban. I do not own the rights to it. If you have never heard it, it is a very beautiful song. I suggest listening to it.**

* * *

I was sitting in some Mom N' Pop Diner in North Dakota, really starting to wish I had listened to Alice and stayed in Forks, something I never thought I would think. I was eating my eggs, staring intently at them rather at Jake, who was sitting across from me. This was because he was staring intently at me, and it was really making me self conscious. I kept brushing my face with my hand, wondering if there was something on it.

Jake had wolfed down the food in front of him as soon as the waitress had walked away. I was eating slow, even at human speed, making each bite as small as possible and then chewing each bite for as long as possible, until the little flavor these eggs had had when the waitress had set them before me was completely gone from the bite.

I begrudgingly took the last bite. I chewed it slowly and swallowed. I placed my fork on my now empty plate. Then, and only then, did I look up at Jake. He was smiling at me. I had to smile back, there was nothing else for me to do. His grin broadened at my smile. I quickly closed my mouth and ran my tongue over my teeth, fearing I had bits of my breakfast stuck in my teeth. As far as I could tell there was nothing there, so Jacob's grin was unexplained.

"What, Jake?" I asked, slightly testy.

"Nothing, it's just good to see you again, that's all."

I couldn't help but smile weakly at his delight. Somehow, no matter how big he got, how much he was towering over me, that grin would always remind me of the boy Jake who sat on First Beach that day telling me the legends he didn't believe in, that we would soon see were more real than we could have ever guessed.

"It's good to see you too, Jake. I have missed you."

His grin got even wider.

"No Jake!" I said, throwing a crumpled up napkin at him across the table. "Not like that, you know what I mean." I placed my chin in my left hand where the diamond sparkled like the sun to illustrate my point.

He eyed the diamond, but his grin didn't fade like I had hoped it would. "But you missed the wedding."

I dropped my hand, his words digging into me. I knew what I had done. But I hoped the situation would have corrected itself soon.

"Are you going to come home with me? Or am I wasting my time?"

"Wow-blunt, are we?"

"Well, I figured we could cut to the chase, Jake. Wedding cake only freezes for so long."

"Don't I get a few days to figure things out? I mean, that's why I ran to begin with Bella. I needed to figure this out. And let's not forget-you _chose _him. You chose him over me. You're marrying him. You obviously feel you belong with him. So why are you here with me?"

I looked down at my empty plate. "I know I chose him Jake. But I had to choose one or the other, my best friend or my boyfriend. Doesn't it make sense that I would choose my boyfriend, who very soon after became my fiancé? I need my best friend now Jake. I am going to be saying goodbye to a lot of people at this wedding. And I was hoping to get a proper goodbye out of you. To tell the truth, I am scared."

Silence filled the air. I looked up slightly, only moving my eyes, not my neck, so that I could quickly look back down if I needed to. But his reaction surprised me. He looked shocked. I lifted my head completely.

I was wrong. He wasn't shocked. He was dumbfounded. He was speechless.

"Well, I can see this conversation is over for now. Let's go back to the hotel." I said, getting up with my wallet to go to the register and pay the bill. Jake went out the car and was waiting beside it. I wordlessly unlocked it and we got in and drove back to the hotel.

We went to our separate rooms and continued without words. I didn't understand his reaction. I didn't understand why he didn't say anything. But I didn't dwell on him long. I looked down at my ring. The ring _Edward_ had given me.

Why was I here? Why did this matter? Yes, I was scared, but cold feet are normal for a bride. And as for the other prospect of my future-wasn't it natural for me to be scared of new things?

I smiled as I thought of Edward. His bronze hair. My favorite crooked smile. The honey-topaz color of his eyes when he had just gotten back from hunting. The was my heart thudded when he leaned in for a kiss. The feeling of his body next to mine as I lay falling asleep. My Edward.

I picked up my remote and turned on the TV in the corner. It came to life and that annoying hotel information channel came on. I immediately began flipping channels. Mostly news stations, some music video networks. I stumbled across what seemed to be a concert. I recognized the man who was singing on the screen, he had had a hit song a few years ago. But it wasn't him I stopped surfing for. It was the song. The melody caught me first. It started with strings, violins. It sounded like something Edward would have enjoyed listening to. Then the words began. They were sad. It sounded as if his love had left him. But the final line of the chorus is what hit me hardest.

_I'll be bringing you back home to stay._

I looked down at my finger again, the diamond shimmering, reflecting the lights in the room. A tear escaped my eye. I quickly brushed it away before going to my bedside table and finding my cell phone. I didn't even have to look up the number. I just pressed Send twice. It rang once before it picked up. My favorite voice was at the other end.

"Bella?"

"I was stupid. I shouldn't have left. I don't know what I was thinking. But I am ready to come home. Come get me?"

"I'll be there soon."

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Hopefully, not to many of you caught my little writer's block notice. I dont know what happened. After I sent it out, I had a sudden urge to finish this. I am in summer classes, and have been doing a lot of reading and writing for them so I have been lacking the motivation lately. But I hope to rectify this situation soon.

**So what are you thinking? You like it? You don't? It's really easy to tell me your opinion. Just click the review button. I respond to all of them. So what are you waiting for?! I, personally, am waiting to hear from you... :)**


	9. Going Back

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

* * *

There was a knock on the hotel door. He was here. My heart began to pound at the mere anticipation of seeing him. I took a good look at myself in the mirror in the bathroom. I had showered and actually blown my hair dry. I wished I had some makeup to make myself look even better. I hurried to the door as I heard the knocking get more impatient, sure that if I didn't come soon he may break down the door.

I unbolted the door and threw the chain and opened the door to see him standing there before me. I looked past him, and noticed there was still only my car in the parking lot. He had ran all the way here to see me.

"Bella…" he breathed, taking in the sight of me. He was suddenly in the room, throwing the door closed behind him and kissing me fiercely. He back us up against a wall. I was sure for several moments I had forgotten how to breathe. Having him there just felt so good and so right. How could I ever have run out on this feeling? I began to kiss him back, my hands tangling themselves in his bronze hair.

Just as quickly as this episode of affection began, however, it stopped. I looked at him and pouted a little, the ferocity still visible in his eyes. His hand reached up behind my head and freed my hands from his hair, bringing them back between us, locked in his icy grip.

"_Never _do this to me again." His eyes never left mine as he let the weight behind his words sink in. He let go of my hands after a while.

"Edward, I am so sorry." I said, as I flung my arms around his neck. I began to sob in his shirt. "I was so stupid. I don't know what I was thinking, driving all the way out here. I should have listened to you when you told me not to come. Please forgive me."

He began stroking my hair and rubbing my back in an effort to calm me down. "Shhh….there is nothing to forgive. You did what you thought was right. Just please calm down, Bella. You're going to make Jasper go crazy with all the emotions we're throwing off in here."

"Jasper's here?" I said, lifting my head from his chest and removing one of my arms from around his neck so I could wipe my eyes. I was now glad I didn't have any makeup. My emotional outburst would probably have ruined it all anyway.

"I couldn't very well show up here alone, now could I? At least, not with _him _here. He's waiting in your car. Do you have everything together? I have already paid the bill, even taking care of _his _room. We can leave whenever you are ready."

I walked over to the edge of the bed and shouldered my duffel bag. "I am ready now."

I did take two steps before Edward was at my side and had taken the bag from me. We exited the room.

I made my way for Jake's door, but I felt Edward's grip stop me.

"Shouldn't I at least tell him I am leaving?"

"I left word with the guy at the front desk. I told him to let him know to call Seth with the new date if he wanted."

I smiled at Edward, grateful for his thought, not really wanting to face Jake. I allowed him to slip his free arm around my waist. I couldn't help but notice a grin on his face as we walked to the car. As he was loading my bag into the trunk, I turned to look at the hotel. I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw the curtains of Jake's room move abruptly right as I looked at them.

I handed Edward the keys, knowing we would be home sooner if he drove. He smiled my favorite smile and walked me to the passenger side door, holding it open for me. I got in, smiling at him in gratitude. I really had missed him. The door shut once I was in and soon the driver door was opening. I peered over my shoulder to see Jasper sitting in the middle of the back seat, staring at nothing in particular, but appearing fascinated in it all the same.

"Hi Jasper," I said, smiling. I was really happy to see them both, because it meant this stupid mistake was over.

"Hi Bella," he replied looking at me to return my grin before returning his gaze to whatever he had been looking at before. I turned my attention back to the front of the car and turned to Edward as he started the engine.

"Let's go home." I said.

We got back to Forks in half the time it had taken me to get to North Dakota. Charlie and Renee, of course, were happy to see me, though Renee was sure to tell me off for running out the night before my wedding. The Cullens were happy to see me again as well. However, no one's enthusiasm for my return could be matched by the petite Alice. If I hadn't known she was a vampire, I would have wondered how something so small could contain so much energy and talk so fast.

It felt as though the moment I returned, she and Renee went straight back into wedding planner mode, reconfiguring everything that had to do with the original date and setting everything up for the new date. Which I came to find was two weeks from the last date. I was suddenly glad for the small town of Forks being what it was. By simply calling the caterer and the reception hall, everyone in town who had gotten an invitation (which was basically everyone in town) would soon know what the new date was.

Through the remainder of the week, Edward never left my side. While I knew part of this stemmed from the fact he was afraid I was going to run off again, I was glad he stayed close. I had missed him.

I called Seth my third day back to see if Jake had called. If he had, Seth didn't tell me. I told him, like we had left word for Jake, to be sure to tell him the new date if he did call. Just because, I told him.

No one knew the official reason for my absence outside of the family. They all, I supposed, simply chalked it up to a case of cold feet. That was fine by me. People could believe what they wanted to believe as long as Edward was with me. It felt as though nothing could ever be wrong ever again.

* * *

**Okay-I know that wasn't the most exciting chapter in the world, but it was necessary all the same in order for the plot to advance. I promise that the next one will be more exciting. Well-at least the end of it will be. I hope to post it this weekend. **

**My opinion of this chapter doesnt matter, though, really. I am only the author. It matters what you, the reader, think of the story. And I want to hear from you. So press that little button right there. It's quick, easy and 100 pain free. Unless you have a condition where typing causes you pain-then it's not.**

**I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU. And I respond to all the reviews I recieve. Let me know what you think-even if you think it's trash. **

**So what are you waiting for? Because I am waiting on YOU!! :)**


	10. The Unexpected Guests

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

**A/N: I know I promised some excitement. And I swear that it's there. You just have to make it through the chapter. You all won't be disappointed, I swear.**

* * *

The day before the wedding arrived. We didn't bother having another rehearsal; everyone remembered what they were supposed to do. We did have another family dinner, though, this time at the Cullens' house. Esme went all out on the food, and once again, no one seemed to notice that none of the Cullens touched a bite of the food in front of them. However, when I looked at Edward's plate after having emptied my own, I was shocked to see that all the food was gone. He just smiled at me, his crooked smile. All had been forgiven in the last two weeks and it was never going to be spoken of again.

Renee and Phil were the first to leave the house that night, soon followed by Charlie, myself and Alice. Edward was still superstitious as ever, and knew it would be bad luck to see me after midnight tonight. But after the last time we attempted to get married, he was sending Alice to stay with me for the night to make sure none of the events that stopped our last wedding repeated themselves. He obviously had no clue that Alice had known I was leaving and followed my wishes to not tell him.

I kissed him goodbye at the door and got into the cruiser with Charlie and Alice. The two of them chatted as we drove away (well, Alice chatted animatedly at Charlie, who feigned interest in whatever she was saying), but I only watched Edward, standing on his front porch, staring after us as we drove away wondering how I could have been so stupid as to run out on him the last time.

The night passed quickly and before I knew it, Alice was shaking me awake telling me to hurry up and eat breakfast so that she could do my hair and makeup. I obliged her and ate quickly, saying only a quick hello to Charlie, who seemed in the worst mood I had seen him in throughout this entire process.

I went back upstairs and saw Alice's dress and my own laid out on my bed and the entire top of my dresser covered in what appeared to be an entire cosmetic counter. Alice gestured for me to sit in my desk chair and she began her work.

An hour later she was done and was zipping me up in my dress. She gently placed the veil on my hair, having to stand on a chair to do so, and then got down, smoothing her own dress. I decided it would be best to carry my shoes as I descended the stairs, Alice going down before me. Charlie was standing at the foot of the stairs. He informed Alice that Rosalie was waiting for her outside and that he and I would see her there. Alice smiled at both of us before skipping out the door in her own way. Charlie turned back to me and for a moment, lost all his composure.

"Bella," he said, his voice shaking slightly, "you look just like your mother." He held out his hand for me as I took my last step. He let me balance on him while I slipped on my shoes – heels, despite my appeals to Alice. He walked me outside and I saw the limo waiting for us to take us to the church. He helped me in one side and then got in the other.

"Daddy," I said as we slowly pulled away from his house, "I am sorry if I have done anything in the past weeks to offend you. I know you haven't been the happiest person."

"Bella, I have only been so gruff, not because I don't like Edward, but because I don't like the idea of losing you. I already lost your mother and when you told me you were going to marry Edward, I was 

scared of losing you too. I have never hated him, at least, not anymore than any father ever hates the man who takes his daughter away from him. I am happy to see you so happy."

"Thank you Dad," I said, my voice breaking. I reached across the seat to hug him, glad that Alice had had the foresight to give me waterproof mascara. All the same, I tried to quickly stop my tears before my eyes got puffy.

We arrived at the church and Alice and Rosalie were waiting for me. We lined up in our procession and I heard the string quartet begin to play. Debussy. The doors closed behind Alice and Rosalie as Charlie and I prepared to make our entrance. I heard the song end and the wedding march begin. I gave Charlie a quick peck on the cheek before the doors opened. The entire church turned and stood, looking at me as I walked down the aisle.

For the first time, I didn't care that all eyes were on me. I didn't care that if I stumbled everyone in attendance would see it. I didn't even know who had come. I had eyes only for the bronze haired man standing at the altar waiting for me, his topaz eyes warm with happiness. I smiled at him and he returned it with my favorite crooked smile. Everything else disappeared and it was only him and me.

As it should be.

The wedding went off without a hitch. We got to a reception hall and I saw all my friends from high school had come out to see me. Mike, Angela, Lauren, Ben, and many others, including most of the pack from La Push. Billy Black came up to me and wished me happiness, apologizing for his son's absence.

We had our meal and we cut the cake, Edward shoving it in my face and myself doing the same to him. We had our first dance as man and wife, which I am sure made us the envy of the entire room, that is until the rest of the Cullens joined in. Everyone was a little hesitant to dance after that, but they soon got over their insecurities. I was sure we had to Jasper to thank for that.

It was soon time for Edward and I to depart the party. Our guests lined up outside to wish us well and I hugged Charlie and Renee, part of me never wanting to let go. Renee was crying and Charlie seemed to be on the verge of it, but held himself together nonetheless. We ran to our limo, being showered by rose petals as we ran. The driver was holding the door open for us and we got into the back seat. I rolled down the window and waved goodbye to everyone as we drove away.

As soon as we were out of sight, I put the window back up and looked at my Edward. He was beaming and I couldn't help but smile myself. I was incandescently happy. We pulled up to the Cullen's house and the driver opened the door again, but Edward was there offering me his hand to get me out. As soon as I was on my feet he scooped me into his arms and walked me to the door. He opened it without losing his grip on me, carrying me across the threshold.

"Welcome home Mrs. Cullen," he said, still beaming. He bent his head down and kissed me, still carrying me in his arms. He stopped abruptly though and looked off into a dark corner of the house.

A sound of clapping echoed in its emptiness and I heard the voice before I saw the man step out of the shadow.

"May I offer my congratulations to you both of this most joyous of days?" Aro said, smiling as he walked toward us, his eyes a deep ruby red. He wrinkled his nose. "It is a shame you know werewolves. You both stink of dog. I see from the state of your bride, you have not upheld our end of the agreement." He clicked his tongue several times. "That is unacceptable."

"Sir, we have plans to do it soon. I wished to marry Bella first." Edward stated, a calm in his voice that I never would have been able to have in mine.

"Soon it shall be done." Aro said, his smile unwavering. "Tonight, I do believe. And I shall bear witness to it to ensure that it is done."

"I am afraid I cannot allow that." Another familiar voice said, stepping out of a shadow at the other end of the hall. "You see," Jacob Black said, standing before us all, "that would violate the pact they made all those years ago."

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**So, what do you think? Did you see any of this coming? Hmm? I love hearing from you. Your reviews mean so much to me. I am going to try for one more chapter in the course of the weekend. But in the meantime, review please!!**


	11. The Choices We Have

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

**A/N: Ok-some issues that need to be addressed from last chapter. Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews!  
1) For some reason, I did not get email alerts to any of your reviews for the last chapter, which is why I didn't respond. I am so sorry! I usually personally respond to all of them, but without the emails, I didnt get reply URLs. I really do appreciate all of them!  
2)Someone asked why Aro and Jake didn't smell each other last chapter. I have an explanation. Jake didn't actually enter the house until Bella and Edward did, at which point, you will notice, Aro says they both stick of dog. That was Jake's scent too.  
3)The question of Aro's entourage was answered in this chapter. I hadn't forgotten them!  
4)The respect Edward showed Aro in calling him 'sir' wasn't intentional-I am reading Pride & Prejudice and the mannerisms have kinda snuck into my writing.  
FINALLY-I am glad you all are enjoying this and I love that you all think I write as well as Stephenie. It really means a lot to me. It also means a lot to me that I have managed to surprise you all with the end of that last chapter. **

**I hope I can keep living up to expectations-NOW FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE, I PRESENT CHAPTER 11!**

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I was scared and confused. I looked from my husband (the excitement of recognizing this taking a backseat to the fear I felt) to Aro to Jake, unsure of what to do. I wanted to laugh just to ease the tension, but I knew the three other people in this room would find that behavior inappropriate, so I only clutched Edward tighter.

I soon heard movement on the porch and the next thing I knew the rest of the Cullens were standing around us, all of them still in the formal wear that made the protective crouching stance they had all assumed comical to an out observer, unaware of the danger this situation actually posed.

"Carlisle!" Aro said, clapping his hands together, seeming to be rejoicing in the new arrivals, as opposed to Jake who had stiffened on their entrance. I couldn't tell by the look on his face if it was because of the danger he now faced or the smell. "Now, now, now, no need to be so testy all of you, I was just chatting with Edward and Bella here – sharing my disappointment at finding you have not yet held up your end of the bargain. I am feeling better now that I hear that that situation is soon to be rectifying itself."

A low growl emanated from Edward's throat. I stroked his arm to calm him down.

"Easy Edward," Aro said, his smile not fading, "After all, we did agree to this. And you have just married her. It only makes sense that you two should belong to the same…species. However, I can see I picked an inopportune moment to come congratulate the happy couple. I will be back tomorrow. And I should expect you all to still be here. Because rest assured, I will find you wherever you run."

Before a response to him could be made, he was gone. The family now shifted their gazes to Jacob, who they had not noticed, or had not thought an immediate threat, until now.

"You know what it will mean," was all he said, his gaze not leaving mine before exiting the house as well. The Cullens straightened now and they all looked from me to Edward and back to me. I felt Edward's cold finger on my cheek, turning my face toward him.

"Are you all right Bella?" he asked, the concern in his eyes evident.

"Yes," I replied, unable to keep my voice from shaking in my response. I felt him scoop me back into his arms and carry me into the living room, setting me on the couch and then sitting next to me, moving my head to rest on his shoulder.

Soon, Alice was kneeling before me, taking my hands in hers. "I am so sorry Bella, for ruining your wedding day. I should have seen them all coming, but I was so wrapped up in the plans for the wedding, I must have just missed it. I let my guard down to give you the perfect wedding and wound up ruining it anyway. Forgive me?"

I smiled at Alice. How could you not? She seemed so at odds with herself for slipping up. It wasn't her fault. Even if we had known it was coming, could we have changed anything about it?

When I voiced this opinion aloud, Alice beamed at me and then hugged me tight. "Thank you Bella. I just would have died if I thought you were going to hate me for this."

"Alice, you just gave me one of the most beautiful weddings in the history of the world. I could never hate you. But out of curiosity, how would you have died?" A smile spread across her face, and I heard a chuckle come out of the direction of Rosalie and Emmett. I knew it was safe to assume it hadn't come from Rosalie.

"It would seem we have a bit of a problem ahead of us." Carlisle finally voiced. We all looked at him.

"What's the problem?" I asked innocently, truly failing to see the problem in this situation. "I mean, wasn't the plan always to change me after the wedding?" I looked down at myself and then at Edward. I raised my left hand to gesture to the set of rings now on it. "Well, the wedding's over. And I don't particularly mind putting off the honeymoon if it means everyone will stay safe and everything will be all right."

"I don't think the pack will be too happy with that plan now, Bella. With Jacob gone, I figured we might be able to get them to overlook it, but now with him back, it's pretty clear that they aren't going to let you go without a fight. And I am more than willing to bet that Aro isn't here alone, which means we have no choice but to do it."

"So we're damned if we do, and damned if we don't." Edward stated matter-of-factly.

"According to you, you all were damned already," I said trying to be funny. I quickly saw my attempt had failed and I mumbled a quick apology.

"What are our options?" Jasper asked from the corner of the room.

"Well-we can turn Bella and provoke the pack in La Push or we can not turn her and provoke the Volturi. The only thing obvious in this entire dilemma is that whichever side we don't anger in our decision will probably join us in our fight against the other side." Carlisle said.

"So, in the end, we essentially have to pick the lesser of two evils-" Rosalie offered.

"-That will come out on the better end of this fight, preferably," Emmett stated.

"Well, I think the choice lies with Bella in the end." Carlisle said. All eyes turned to me and I could feel my face go scarlet under their gazes. I could not meet any of their eyes and instead stared at my lap. I knew what was coming, even before Carlisle said it.

"Bella has the right to choose, as she always has, whether or not she wishes to become one of us."

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**Hmm-Will Bella become a vampire? That seems to be the question that has been on all of our minds since we first picked up Twilight.**

**I hope you liked it. And hopefully my email will start cooperating and show me all your lovely reviews I know you want to write! **

**I also just want to remind you all that this is what I _THINK_ will happen in Breaking Dawn. I don't think I am anywhere near right.**


	12. The Choices We Make

****

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.

**A/N: Hi all! I know that there was already a Chapter 12 posted. But I didn't like it and you didn't like it, so I rewrote the ending. I was pushed into posting it before I thought it was ready. I _promise_ I will never do that again. Hopefully I didn't lose you all. Please tell me what you think of the new ending of the chapter! Thanks to all who reviewed last night and told me honestly that they didnt like it!**

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_Bella has the right to choose, as she always has, whether or not she wishes to become one of us._

Carlisle's words echoed in my head. It was my choice; it had always been my choice. I lay wide awake that night staring at Edward's ceiling. He had excused us not long after Carlisle had said this and taken me up to his room. He had murmured something to them all about how trying a day it had been for me. He had given me a quick kiss before leaving me alone in his room to be with my thoughts. I knew it hurt him that I had not immediately answered Carlisle's proposition, but, for the first time since I had met the Cullens, I found myself questioning my resolve.

_Of course this is what you want, _that tiny voice whispered in the back of my head. _It's what you have wanted since the beginning. _

_But Charlie-Renee,_ I reasoned back with myself. _Look what today did to them. How do you think they would react if I died, which is what I would essentially be doing._

_But you could be with Edward._

_I married him. I am with him._

_Forever._

_What about Jake?_

_Umm-that ended when you said 'I do' today._

I sighed. I was really glad Edward couldn't read my thoughts. Or else, he'd probably have me committed. Not to mention how hurt he would be knowing what direction my thoughts seemed to be going towards.

_Do you love him?_

_More than anything else._

_Could you survive without him?_

_No._

_Then there is no question Bella._

The voice inside my head was right. We had all known this was going to happen. I mean, Alice had foreseen it-not that she was always right. But on this she was.

I loved Edward-how could you not? Today I had committed to him until death did we part. Now I was just ensuring that the one who could die never would.

"Umm…"I started, "Edward?" I said it in no more than a whisper, but knew he would hear it. I wasn't incorrect as I soon heard him bounding up the stairs. He door cracked open and I saw him peering in at me. He was still in his tuxedo. I was still in my dress.

"I have made my decision." I said, smiling at him in a reassuring way.

"And…"he said, walking toward me.

"I want to tell everyone together."

He picked me up in his arms and raced me downstairs, obviously in a hurry to hear what I would say.

The rest of the family seemed a bit surprised by my sudden reentrance, but that could have also been surprise at the way Edward chose to bring me in. He placed me down on the couch and we resumed the position we had sat in not 45 minutes earlier.

"I have made my decision," I said, repeating my earlier sentiments, though I knew they had all heard our conversation in the bedroom. I looked at the six expectant faces in front of me-well, five. Alice was trying her best to look like the others, but I could tell she knew.

"Bella, could you hurry up? Alice is singing the Small World song."

I couldn't help but laugh as I looked at Alice.

"I have decided that my wishes haven't changed. I wish to still become a part of your family. More so than I became today."

I felt Edward's cold arms wrap around me and the whoops of Emmett at my announcement. Alice, Jasper, Carlisle and Esme were beaming at me. Rosalie looked at me as though she tasted something foul. I hadn't expected anything different. I knew how Rosalie felt.

"So we are fighting the dogs!" Emmett called, still excited.

"Not exactly," I said.

"Oh, Bella, I thought you had been joking!" Alice shrieked, looking at me horrified.

"What?" Edward said, looking from me to Alice, who so quickly went back to Small World that she actually hummed a few bars out loud.

"Well, here's the thing. I, um, well-I don't think I can do it right this second. I need a little while longer with Renee and Charlie." I quickly looked at Edward, expecting to see his face full of pain and anger. Surprisingly it was filled with nothing but love.

"I understand Bella. Take all the time you need." He lightly kissed my forehead.

"So we are fighting the Volturi!" Emmett called, still excited.

"Basically," Carlisle said. "If she doesn't want to change now, we have no choice but to fight the Volturi. I think it will be possible, if we get the pack on our side."

Carlisle turned and looked at me. "Bella, I need you to call their leader and arrange a meeting with them. We need to propose a plan and a deal to get them to help us."

"I never thought we would have to team up with the dogs again." Edward said, under his breath and leaning his heads back against the sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose.

I excused myself to get to a phone a call the Black's . Billy answered the phone.

"Hi Billy." I said, trying to pretend that it wasn't at all odd I was calling his son on my wedding night to another man. "Can I speak to Jake?"

"He's at Sam's." Billy said.

"Oh. Can I have Sam's number?"

"I guess so." He gave me the number and thanked him. I could tell from his tone Billy was a little confused. I hung up the phone and dialed the phone again. Emily answered the phone.

"Hi Emily, it's Bella." I said, once again pretending that it wasn't odd for me to be calling them on this particular night. "Can I speak to Jake? Or Sam?"

There was a pause before I heard a male voice, unmistakably Jake's at the other end. "Hello?" he questioned. Emily had not told him who was on the phone.

"Hi Jake," I said casually.

"Bella?"

"Listen, we don't have much time. Is the rest of the pack there with you all?"

"Mostly…"

"Could you get them all to come to the forest surrounding the Cullen place? Carlisle would like to have a meeting with you all."

"I guess so…Bella, what's going on?"

"Everything will be explained when you all get here. But hurry up. We don't have that long until the Volturi come back."

I hung up the phone and went to rejoin my family in the other room. Alice and Jasper were sitting close to each other, staring in each other's eyes are they so often did. Esme and Carlisle were sitting on the sofa where Edward and I had been. Emmett and Rosalie were no where they could be seen. Edward was sitting at his piano, but he wasn't playing it.

I took in the visual from the door way. There was no excitement in the room, only a resolve I had seen so many times before. And so they were all spending their time together in preparation for what was to come. Edward's head turned to look at me and beckoned me over to him. As I walked over to him I felt in the room they were prepared to give everything they had for me to get what I wanted or needed.

I longed for the day this would no longer be the case.

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**Yes, okay, kinda fluff-but once again, necessary fluff.**

**I hope you enjoyed it. I hope am still in character.**

**What did you think? Did you like the rewrite? ****My email is working again, which means if you review, I will get it and respond. So REVIEW it already! :)**


	13. The Choices We Live With

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to the great Stephenie Meyer. I am simply telling my story.**

**A/N: Hi all! Sorry it has been so long since I updated. It's just been really crazy. I have been working on my other two novels and reading Tiki Barber's memoirs as well as Chinua Achebe's _Things Fall Apart_, plus I have a paper due tomorrow. Oh yeah, and it was the fourth of July in America and I went home, where I didnt have a computer!  
Enough excuses, I know, so without further _adieu_ here is Chapter 13!**

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The eight of us were waiting in the woods outside the Cullen's house when the pack arrived. Sam was first to break into the clearing (as a wolf) and then he circled back out and they all appeared as humans as they approached us. I looked at each of them in turn, saving Jake for last. I gave him the most icy glare I could muster and he looked back at me with similar contempt.

"We have asked you all here," Carlisle's voice rang out, jerking my gaze from Jake to him as Edward slipped a hand around my waist in a protective gesture, "to ask for your help. Again. Bella, as you all are aware, has recently joined my family, but if you don't help us, she will join it in a way which will violate the treaty we have together. A very powerful family of our kind, the Volturi, is determined to have Bella become one of us. I know how that will make you all feel. So we were hoping you would be willing to help us stop them from allowing this to happen."

"I thought Bella wanted to become one of you." Sam said, throwing a questioning glance, first at Carlisle and then at Jake.

"I do." I said, speaking up, uneasy at being talked about like I wasn't present and having my future decided for me. "I am just not ready to say goodbye to some people yet." I directed this last sentence directly at Jake, since he was one of those people.

"But it will happen eventually." Jake voiced, not breaking my gaze, as if only directing this question to me.

"That decision lies solely with Bella, as it always has. When, and if, it will happen lies solely within her discretion." Carlisle responded.

"We can't agree to help you all if it's only to allow you a longer timeline for breaking our treaty." Sam said.

"Sorry to have wasted your time." Carlisle answered, nodding his head slightly.

Sam gestured to the pack and they all turned and headed back into the woods. Jake was the last to turn and leave. He stared at me for a few moments, during which Edward pulled me closer to him. He smirked slightly before turning and retreating into the forest. They all left before anyone said anything.

"Well that didn't go exactly like we had hoped." Emmett said, obviously irritated.

"I hadn't thought it would be easy. But I had at least hoped they would be more willing to help than that." Carlisle replied.

We all went back inside and sat down in the living room. Edward sat down at his piano and began playing out his frustrations in a very angry piece. I leaned in the door way and watched him. I knew this was hard for him. He wanted to appease me more than anything but he also wanted to keep his family, myself included, safe. I knew getting the pack to help had been our best bet at winning this fight. That's when the idea came to me.

"Hey guys? I have an idea."

Edward stopped playing and turned, along with everyone else in the room, to look at me.

"We tried telling them the truth and that didn't work. So, what if we lie to them?"

I could see by the puzzled expressions on all their faces that no one understood the meaning of my words.

"What if we tell them I have no intentions of becoming a vampire? We tell them I married Edward and plan to grow old in his arms, or something along those lines. And then, when I am ready, we do it anyway."

"That does make sense." Jasper said, conceding in his tone.

Edward was at my side in an instant. He was questioning me with his eyes. He stared at me intently.

"You know what that would mean Bella. We would have to leave. We could never come back – _ever_. You'd be leaving all of this behind, your friends, your dad. You could never see him again Bella, your own _father_."

I could feel the tears burning in my eyes and I tried to blink them back as I looked down at Edward's shoes.

"I know that, Edward. That's why it's so important to me that this doesn't happen _right now_. I need more time."

His icy finger lifted my chin up to look at him and he stared intently again into my eyes, his topaz looking into my brown.

"We have all the time in the world, my love. Eternity as a matter of fact." He flashed me his crooked smile with his last sentence, before pulling me close to him, kissing me gingerly on my forehead and embracing me as though he feared to ever let me go.

"I hate to be the pessimistic one…" Rosalie began.

"No you don't," Edward and Alice said in unison, causing the two of them to snicker and Rosalie to shoot them both an icy glare.

"…but don't you think they will see through this little ruse? I mean, they aren't _that_ stupid."

"That's just it Rosalie. At least one of them," everyone in the room knew I meant Jake, "will want to believe this. He can make the other ones believe it."

Everyone looked to Alice, knowing it was futile but still searching for some hope that this will work. She shook her head almost imperceptibly. "Nothing's changed." She sighed.

"Why don't you give Jacob a call, Bella," Carlisle said, "it can't hurt to try."

I went into the hall and picked up the telephone receiver and dialed the number I knew by heart. It picked up after only one ring.

"Hello?" I heard Jake's husky voice answer.

"Hey Jake." I tried to sound as natural as possible.

"What do you want now?" He asked, agitation creeping into his voice.

"I was wondering if we could try that again."

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**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: If any of you watch Doctor Who, I want you to this back to the second series finale when Rose chooses the Doctor over Mickey and her mum. The inflection when he says "your own mother" is what went through my mind when Edward says "your own father." If you don't watch Doctor Who-well, the above won't make any sense at all!**

**So, what did you all think, huh? I really am curious to hear your opinions-so what are you waiting for? REVIEW IT!! I respond to them all personally (that is, if my email is cooperating). I really love hearing from you, the good AND the bad. I want to hear the truth. If you have never done it before, it's really not that hard or time consuming. **

**That's all-I am off to have some lunch and maybe, if you're lucky, I'll write another chapter this afternoon. I mean, it's either that or continue watching Harry Potter on TV. **

**Happy Belated 4th of July to all my fellow Americans. And to my British readers, take pleasure in the fact that ABC Family thought it was a good idea to "celebrate America" by showing Harry Potter all weekend. No really, that's how they billed the marathon. You still have us, even if we won the war! (JK, I really love the British!)**


	14. Consequences of Disappointment

**DISCLAIMER: _Twilight _is the property of the great Stephenie Meyer, whom, despite what some of you may think, I am not. I am simply giving my version of what I think will happen in Breaking Dawn.**

**A/N: Two quick things. First, I have posted a link to the Doctor Who reference I made the last chapter in my profile. It's at 3:45.  
Second, I really must like you guys, because I felt the need to write this chapter immediatly after writing the last one. I hope you like it. I tensed about halfway through it and am still shaking a bit. I got chills while I was writing it. You'll understand after you finish. HOPE YOU ENJOY!**

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"They bought that hook, line and sinker!" Emmett crowed as we reentered the house after our second meeting in the woods with the pack.

"No they didn't," I retorted, lacing my fingers with Edward's. "It was just like I said. They bought it because Jacob wanted to. Right?" I said, turning to look up at Edward.

He nodded once. I flashed a smirk at Emmett.

"That doesn't change the fact that they agreed to help!"

I shrugged in conceit. They had done that. They had left two of their members in the woods on the property, waiting for the Volturi to return for me.

I nuzzled up close to Edward on the couch again to wait. I looked down at our left hands, intertwined. I saw our wedding bands. We were married. I hadn't even had time to think about this. So far, married life had not been that different from the life I had lived when I was just the girlfriend, and not the wife. Maybe this was the way it would always be. Maybe I had always been a member of the Cullen's family, and the metal on our fingers and the paper in the safe simply made it that way in the eyes of the law.

"We have nothing to do put wait." I said out loud, the boredom obvious in my voice.

Alice perked up from her spot on the ground and started bouncing slightly as she turned to look at me.

"I could give you a makeover, Bella!"

"No, no, no, no. No Bella Barbie."

Alice moved to kneel before where Edward and I were on the couch and pouted at me.

"Oh, just do it Bella." Edward said. "Please," he added when I looked at him, shocked at his betrayal. "She is singing all the songs she knows from those 90s boy bands in her head right now."

"Fine." I conceded, swinging my legs off the couch and onto the floor in front of Alice, who had jumped to her feet and was clapping excitedly.

"I expect to not get my wife back too badly damaged Alice." Edward called, as Alice quickly ushered me out of the room and up the stairs.

"Hmm." Was the only response Alice made in return.

I sat as still as I could while Alice had her fun, a little jumpy. I was waiting for the shoe to drop and for Alice to see them coming, or for them to come unannounced, as they had last time.

Alice was applying the final touch, my lipstick, when she suddenly dropped the tube and went into that dreamlike state I immediately recognized as her foreseeing.

"Edward," I called, but he was already there, as well as everyone else. Edward gave me the once over and winked, before turning his full attention to Alice. I looked at myself in the vanity mirror on Alice's dresser. I did look good. I would have to remember to thank Alice.

"Edward, give Bella your phone," was all Alice said, before I felt the small cell phone press into my hand. It almost immediately started buzzing. I pressed send and held the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked, unsure of who it was, but at the same time knowing.

"BELLA!" I heard a voice scream my name in agony. I froze suddenly, terrified. I knew who that voice belonged to. I knew the terror showed on my face, because Edward was suddenly behind me, taking the phone from my hand, pressing the speaker button and setting it on the dresser.

My father's agonizing screams filled the room and I saw the shock appear on the faces of everyone else in the room. Everyone except Edward and Alice, who I knew already knew this. After half a minute, another voice filled the air.

"Bella. I rather regret that it had to come to this. But in a way, you are responsible for this. You all were foolish to think I hadn't left a spy among you. You're not entirely unique Bella. I found another with your unique talent. Tell your husband and sister-in-law to relax. That's why they couldn't sense her. As a matter of fact, it was Caius' discovery of her that made us revisit the thought of you. Isn't life funny? Without this girl, who knows when we would have come after you." Charlie's screams still filled the background, and yet I could hear the slight smile in Aro's voice, amused with this little quirk of his existence.

"I know what you all are planning," he continued, "and I must admit, it most displeases us. We had a deal, and I am sure you are aware, we get a little angry when we don't get our way. Jane most of all, which is why she is enjoying taking her frustrations out on your dear father." Another scream from Charlie cut through all other sounds.

"Now, now Jane," Aro's voice continued, slightly muffled. He was obviously no longer speaking directly into the receiver of the phone. "Don't go over board and kill him. We want his daughter to be able to say her goodbyes. And most of all, we want him to see what becomes of her."

I tensed even further at his words, crossing my arms over my chest, holding myself tightly. I suddenly felt and even stronger grip around me. I could feel a faint calming influence, but knew as long as the screaming continued, Jasper's efforts were useless.

The next words were spoken into the receiver. It was an address. "You have one hour to make it there. It's not that far, you should make it here with time to spare. I know your family is listening to this; I am sure they will be able to get you here very quickly. One Hour. Anyone outside of the Cullen's is your responsibility. I am very disappointed Bella. Say goodbye to your daughter Chief."

There was static and then I heard panting and my father's voice.

"Bella, their vampires. All of them, these people, the Cullens: they are all vampires. And the kids in La Push- they keep saying something about them but I can't-AH!"

Charlie was cut off by his own scream. "Too much information Chief." Aro said, not into the receiver again.

"One hour," he reiterated before the phone went dead.

I felt my legs give way and I sunk to floor, Edward following me. He loosened his grip and it allowed me to rock myself back and forth, shivering slightly, but not because of his icy grip.

"He has my dad." I whispered, shaking and beginning to sob. I felt calm once again wash over the room, but it was still useless. I was too far gone.

Edward held me close, rocking me like a baby, shushing me in my ear, whispering encouraging words just trying to calm me down, trying to assure me it would be okay.

I didn't see how though. He had my dad. More importantly, he had given my dad to Jane for her sport. That thought made me shudder, especially when I coupled it with the memory of the agony on Edward's face that day in Volterra. Edward was supernatural, stronger than my dad, and it had caused his pain. I could only imagine the agony Charlie was in right now.

Even worse, he knew. Charlie knew the truth. He knew the truth about the entire world I had worked so hard to keep secret. He knew exactly what I had married into the day before. What I didn't know is if he knew I had done so willingly. The fact that Aro had allowed him this information scared me. It meant they didn't plan on allowing Charlie to live.

"They're gonna kill him," I managed to get out, settling down a little, but still shaking and rocking back and forth in Edward's arms. My muscles were so tense they began to ache, but I couldn't release the tension at all.

"Why didn't you see this coming?" Edward growled behind me, in the general direction I had last seen Alice.

"I'm sorry." I heard the soprano voice say sadly. "I guess I was too distracted again. They made the decision in a split second Edward. They had to have made it while I was up here with Bella. And if Aro is telling the truth, and they really do have a spy here, they waited to decide on their plan until they knew I was distracted."

I could tell from the silence that filled the air that Edward wasn't letting Alice off the hook.

"It's not her fault Edward." I felt myself saying. "Even if we had seen it coming, there wouldn't have been anything we could do about it. Not without someone getting hurt."

I summoned the strength to lift myself off of Edward's chest and looked at my family, all of their eyes on me, full of concern. I could see in Esme's eyes especially, that if vampires could cry, she would be.

"We need to get going, we need to get a plan together and get my dad." I said suddenly getting to my feet and beginning to pace about the room. My voice was all over the place, shaking slightly and breaking with every other word, as I was still crying.

"We need to call the pack." Carlisle said, as Edward came toward me with his arms open, trying to reclaim me and resume calming me down. But I avoided his arms and continued to pace.

"I'll do it," I said snatching the cell phone from the dresser and frantically dialing, my hands shaking so badly, I dropped the phone. I closed my eyes and waited to hear the crash which never came. I opened my eyes and saw Edward holding the phone in front of me while he slid an arm around my shoulders.

"Why don't I do that?" he said, the worry in his eyes palpable in the room. I nodded slightly before I buried my head in my hands and began to sob again. Edward must have gestured for one of the others to come take me, because I soon felt two figures on either side of me and a strong grip on my shoulders, which could only be Emmett, and another gingerly taking the one hand I had dropped from my face, leaving another one still there. From that proximity, I felt the wave of calm come over me; I figured the other figure was Jasper. When I looked up, I could see through my tears I was right, and he tried to give me a reassuring smile.

They led me down the stairs, Esme, Rosalie and Alice following. They sat me back down on the couch and as soon as I was seated my head immediately returned to both my hands. Alice knelt in front of me as she had not an hour earlier begging to give me a makeover. She pulled my hands away from my face and forced me to look at her. I could see the agony on her face.

"I really am sorry Bella."

"I know Alice."

I looked back down at my hands and saw they were covered in black. Alice obviously hadn't used waterproof mascara. I chuckled slightly as I imagined what my face now looked like. Esme was seated on the couch next to me, and, like a mother, she pulled me close to her and shushed me as I continued to cry. I could see Rosalie in the corner by the doorway with Emmett, who was holding her close. She met my gaze, and for the first time I could remember, it wasn't full of contempt, but pity. Jasper knelt next to Alice taking her hands from my knees and she placed her head against his chest.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was certainly no more than a few minutes, Edward and Carlisle reentered the room.

"They're coming." Carlisle said as he remained in the doorway, Edward heading directly to me. He took both my hands and looked into my eyes.

"We're going to get him back, Bella. And he will be all right. Everything will be all right."

All I could do was nod. I really wanted to believe what he said. But there was part of me that couldn't.

I feared I had lost my father.

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**Wow-That was much longer than I normally write, but i just couldnt stop. **

**So, what do yo all think?? Did you tense up and shake a little too? Or am i just too emotionally involved?**

**I want to hear from you, your honest opinion. If you think it's great, I want to hear it. If you think it's rubbish, I want to hear it!**

**You may get another chapter today, but this one kinda emotionally drained me, so we will have to just see.**

**In the meantime, review!! PLEASE!!**


	15. Characters of a Victorian Novel

**Disclaimer: Sad fact-Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.  
Even sadder fact-I am not Stephenie Meyer.  
If Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and I am not Stephenie Meyer, then Twilight does not belong to me.  
I always hated proofs in Math. I hate this one more than normal.**

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The pack arrived sooner than I expected. Or was it later? Time had become in consequential to me. I didn't even feel it passing by. It seemed to go in long drones but simultaneously in quick, sporadic jolts. I was facing the doorway on the couch, being held by Edward, and saw them all enter. They all looked slightly shocked to see me in the state I was in. All except Jake. His face was full of concern and sympathy. You'd have thought Charlie was already dead. But I knew he was as good as.

Edward was suddenly helping me to my feet and walking me over to the others. The rest of the Cullens came and stood around us. There was definitely an Us versus Them feeling in the room. We stood there looking at each other and then, suddenly, Edward spoke.

"You all know the plan. Carlisle gave you all the address. Let's just get there and get this over with and bring Chief Swan home."

The pack turned to leave, but a noise made them stop. That noise was my voice. I felt compelled to warn them. Especially since this really wasn't their fight. It was personal.

"I don't know if any of you were informed, but Aro warned me that anyone I brought outside of this family," I gestured to the Cullens, "was my responsibility. Nothing is compelling any of you to go after Charlie. If any of you don't want to face this danger, I won't hold it against you if you leave."

They all just looked at me. None of them turned and ran. They really cared that much. Or at least they cared about Charlie. Or Jake had told them they had to help. At least one of those three, I suspected.

We ran to the address Aro had given us. It was an old abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Port Angeles. When we got there, I looked at my watch. We had made it within 15 minutes of Aro's deadline. Charlie should at least still be alive.

I looked up at Edward, who was still standing next to me, not having moved an inch since he had set me down on the ground from his back.

"Is Charlie in there?" That wasn't the question I wanted to ask, but I couldn't give voice to the one I desperately wanted answered.

"He's still alive, Bella." Edward said, smiling at me in reassurance. For not being able to read my mind, he was incredibly perceptive. I smiled in relief, and couldn't help but sigh slightly. Charlie was still alive. There was still a chance. Edward looked over to Alice suddenly, who was shaking her head every few seconds, almost as if she was trying to get images out of her head. Jasper was trying to pull her close to him.

"What is it?" I asked, concerned with whose future Alice was seeing.

"They know we're here. They can't decide what they are going to do. Every time they change their minds, Alice is getting a flash of something different. And they are changing their minds about every 10 seconds."

Suddenly, Alice stopped her strange movements and looked at Edward, with slight terror in her eyes. Everyone else looked from her to Edward and back. I looked right up at Edward.

"She wants me to give you this," he said, handing me his cell phone. As before, as soon as he pressed it into my hand it began vibrating. I pressed Send and put it up to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Bella!" Aro said, the cheerful tone of his voice unmistakable, "so glad you could make it. Though it's a shame you felt the need to bring so many of your friends. You know, I really can't guarantee any of their safety. My friends won't hesitate before setting a hand to your mongrel friends."

My eyes instantly scanned the crowd off a ways from the rest of the Cullens, my eyes falling on Jake.

"I need you to enter the warehouse, Bella, through the grey door you see there. It has the number 42 spray painted on it in black – do you see it?"

I looked at the building and immediately found the door Aro was describing.

"Yes." I said calmly, anxious for my voice to not betray the many emotions I felt coursing through me.

"Once you enter, you will be in a lobby type area. I want you to proceed through the only door in the room that isn't the door you came through, behind the receptionist's desk. Once you're through there, I think you'll be able to find your way.

"Now, there is no reason for you to have to do this alone. Bring as many of your friends as you like; the more, the merrier. But remember what I said earlier. You will be responsible for what happens to them."

There was a click and I knew the conversation was over. I took the phone away from my ear, and saw that the call timer was flashing. Aro had hung up. I looked up at Edward and quietly relayed to him what Aro had just told me. Before I got too deep into it, he called Carlisle over to us and both of them listened to our instructions. When I was finished, Carlisle went over to the members of the pack and, undoubtedly, told them our instructions. After a few moments of Carlisle and Sam talking quickly back and forth, Carlisle turned and beckoned the rest of his family to him.

We all converged upon the assembly and it quickly became another Us versus Them moment, except this time Carlisle was standing in the middle. It, quite comically, reminded me of the dance in the gym during West Side Story, when the two rival gangs stand on each side of the gym with that teacher like guy in the middle. I had to stifle a laugh, knowing that no one else would see the humor in this situation, and the fact that I was laughing at this moment may finally convince all of them I was out of my mind.

"Here's the plan," Carlisle started, kind of spinning in a circle as he talked, aiming to talk to all of us at once. "We're all going to go into the warehouse, but the wolves are going to wait in the lobby area until we give them some sort of signal that we need them. We are not going to put them in anymore danger than necessary. Now, I want all of you to remember that we aren't aiming to kill all of them. We are simply aiming to get both Bella and Charlie out of there alive and…human. Any questions?"

Silence resounded in the air, before we moved toward the door, Edward and I in front of the rest. We went through the door and found the reception area, the Cullens and I immediately proceeding through the door behind the desk that Aro had described.

As soon as we went through it, I understood why Aro had not thought I would need any directions beyond this point. It was like an airplane hangar. The setting sun was streaming through the windows on one side and one of the streams fell on a lifeless form in the middle of the floor.

"Charlie," I gasped, breaking free of Edward's grasp and running to my father. I arrived at his side and soon, Edward was not far away, obviously afraid to let me too far away from him.

I took Charlie's hand, relieved to find it still warm. The action seemed to bring Charlie to. He looked around a little bewildered. Then his eyes found my face and he smiled weakly.

"Bella…"he sighed weakly, evidently happy to see me. In an instant, however, he seemed to remember where he was and what had happened. "Bella, you have to get out of here. These people are crazy. They are…vampires. They say the Cullens are too and that those boys in La Push, including Jake, are werewolves. It's like some crazy story straight out of one of those Victorian novels you are always reading." He had a bewildered look in his eyes. He didn't know just how right he was. And I didn't know how to counter what he was saying, without flat out lying to him. And if he was going to die, I wasn't going to allow that to be my last action toward him.

"Shh, Daddy, everything's going to be all right. We're gonna get you out of here. And then we'll have Carlisle take a look at you and everything will be ok." My voice broke, ruining the attempt at sounding convincing.

"I love you, Bella. I really am glad you came to stay in Forks."

"I am too. I love you, Daddy."

Then Charlie slumped back and fell back to the floor, his eyes closed. I gasped, still holding his hand and looking back at Edward, scared. He shook his head.

I gasped, and let out a sob, while turning back to look at my father. The agony in his face was gone and he seemed at peace. I began rocking back and forth once more and Edward came by me, holding me while I cried.

"I love you, Daddy." I cried, letting go of his hand and lowering myself to his chest, grabbing the material of his shirt, holding it in my fists and then letting it go, grabbing more. I sobbed, feeling Edward's hand pressed on my back, rubbing in small circles. I heard the footsteps of the others approach, but noticed they stopped before they go to us, no doubt taking in the sight of this scene.

A slow clapping began to echo within the warehouse. I sniffed and looked up, letting go of Charlie and sitting up, looking in the direction the noise came from. Aro, flanked by Marcus, Caius and Jane, emerged from the shadows.

"A truly stirring scene, full of emotion. I give it two thumbs up. Well done. Now, may we proceed?"

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**Well, you guys are incredibly special. You got three chapters in one day. I will not upload anymore tonight. I just can't do it. I am exhausted.  
What did you think? I get the feeling I may have lost some of my readers back in Chapter 12, so if I didn't and you just haven't reviewed in a while, please let me know you are still with me by reviewing this chapter! I love hearing from you and I love your feedback. **

**Click the button! I am not going to beg you to, but I am going to guilt you into it by telling you that when I don't get reviews, I pout. **


	16. Heroic Effort

**DISCLAIMER: _Twilight _belongs to the great and wonderful Stephenie Meyer. I just feel the sudden urge to kill off her characters.**

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews on the last few chapters. I know I promised some of you this would be up Monday and it is now Wednesday, but I had a lot of trouble writing it. Mostly because I suck at writing action sequences. So I try to avoid it at all costs. Better late than never, right?**

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"_Now, may we proceed?"_

Aro's question rang in the otherwise dead silence in the air. I looked up at him and before I could process my actions I flew at him, with every intention of tearing him limb from limb, no matter how futile I knew the action would be.

Cool arms caught me before I could make it even two steps toward him. I struggled against their icy grip, but I knew my action was useless, so I eventually fell limp against my husband's arms and wept silently, still mourning the loss of my father, trying to release the useless rage I felt against his killers.

Aro's chuckling echoed in the hollow space. I looked up to see the others in his party, all of them obviously amused by my little spectacle.

"Now, now, now Bella. We figured we were doing you a favor, taking the one person out of your life who made it so hard for you to join us. Now, please, let's get started. My friends and I have had our fun and now we grow impatient."

I looked at him puzzled. This man didn't make any sense to me. He seemed to delight in my torment.

"Now Edward, how long do you think you can protect her? We had a deal. We are simply here to make sure our end of it has been upheld. I think we have been more than fair by not killing your wife where she stood last night in the hall of your home. We were patient. We gave you 24 hours. You still didn't do it and that is how we have arrived here. If you are unwilling to do it for us, I assure you, one of us will be more than happy to. Though, I don't know if we will be able to stop ourselves once we begin. She does smell so appetizing."

He burgundy eyes seemed to flash as a wicked smile spread across his lips. I tried to retreat further back into Edward's grip, genuinely frightened now. The smile curled back, revealing his teeth and soon, they all were baring their teeth at me. For the first time, I felt myself in the presence of monsters.

The rest of the Cullens were around us, engulfing Edward and I, him still sheltering me protectively. All six of them assumed animalistic crouches around us, growling at the five who intended to harm me.

It all happened so quickly, I barely had time to process any of it. Aro snapped his fingers and Jane began torturing Rosalie which caused Emmett to fly at Jane and for Marcus and Caius to fly at the others. Edward whisked me away from the fighting while they were occupied and, no later had this happened, did I hear the wolves come bursting through the door and running to attack the fighting vampires.

I sat at the back wall of the warehouse, my knees curled to my chest, watching in horror as the people I cared most for in the world put their lives on the line in an attempt to save me. It was all a blur in front of me, the speed at which they were fighting too much for my human eyes to comprehend. I couldn't tell if we were winning or losing and that, more than anything, killed me on the inside.

"EDWARD!" I heard Jasper's voice bellow from within the blur of images, his bass voice ringing in the hollow metal warehouse. The tone of it did not sound good. I feared we were in fact losing.

I looked up at my husband, to find his golden eyes looking down into mine. He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead.

"Stay here," he said, emotion lacking in his velvet voice. His eyes briefly shifted to the scene before us before coming back to mine. "Stay safe." He kissed me again, this time on the lips. I stayed frozen as he pulled away and ran to join the fight.

I shrunk back into the wall, pulling my knees closer to my chest, willing myself to become invisible. As I watched the horror in front of me, I knew it was only a matter before one of the Volturi figured out that Edward had joined the fight, and I was out here all alone.

I let my mind wander a little bit, and I found myself thinking about Charlie. Charlie was gone. The thought was still incomprehensible to me. I kept thinking about how I was going to explain this absence, and any injuries I might accrue from it, to him when I got home. Then, somewhere in the back of mind would remind me that he wasn't going to be at the house when I got home. He would never be in his house again. I would never again pull into his driveway to find his cruiser in the driveway.

As a new wave of tears burst through, I was also overtaken by memories. All those summers I had spent in Forks when I was small. The day he picked me up at the Port Angeles airport when I had come to live with him. The hurt on his face when I had run out on him when James had been threatening my life. The concern in his eyes every time he looked at me during those months of Edward's absence. The contempt he had always looked at Edward with. The day we had told him we were getting married. And lastly, but probably most precious, the look in his eyes as I descended the stairs in the house the day of my wedding and the joy on his face after Edward and I had said 'I do'. It was hard to believe that that had been only two days before.

I wiped my eyes on my sleeve trying to shake these memories away.

"So, he has left you all alone," a familiar voice whispered in my ear. I froze in place, afraid to turn and confirm the identity I already knew. "What a foolish mistake on his part. Now we shall get what we wanted to begin with and all the violence and death here today will have been unnecessary, not matter how _fun_ it has been."

I finally turned and was met with the burgundy eyes of Aro. It was as I had feared. Before I could react, he had both my wrists in the icy grip of one of his hands, the other over my mouth to prevent my scream. I struggled against him trying to break free, but nothing seemed to work. I needed to scream. I figured even through his hand, Edward would be able to hear my cry. It was worth a try. I inhaled through my nose and let out the biggest scream I could muster. It sounded weak to my ears, but I hoped that he would still be able to hear it.

Not two seconds later there was a shape bounding toward us. But I immediately recognized it wasn't Edward. This creature ran on all fours and as it approached, I saw the reddish brown fur it was covered in.

_Jake. _

Jake jumped and flew at us, somehow managing to miss me and hit Aro, knocking me free of his grasp. I scrambled back to the wall I had been on, pulling my knees to my chest again. Jake tried to pin him to the wall, but failed, and soon he went flying across the room. He hit a wall and shook his head as he tried to get back up, trying to shake off the obvious shock the blow had dealt him. But he was too slow in doing so and Aro flew at him. He pinned him to the wall and I watched, as if almost in slow motion, Aro bent his head down to Jake's form and bit him in the neck.

"No, Jake. NO!" I felt myself scream, fresh tears streaming down my face. Jake's eyes caught mine and a slight smile seemed to come across his wolf face before he closed his eyes. Aro looked over to me and smiled maniacally, the blood dripping from his mouth.

I wanted to kill him. I wanted to fly at him and kill him. But someone else beat me to that idea. Aro was no longer at Jake's body. I crawled over to where he lay, and watched as the wolf disappeared and the human returned. He was paler than I had ever seen him and I placed two fingers on the side of his neck Aro had not bitten. There was no pulse beneath my fingers.

Jake was gone.

I looked down at the face of my best friend. I ran a hand across his face, brushing some of the hair out of his eyes. I bent down and kissed his forehead.

"Goodbye Jake." I whispered. "Thank you."

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**Hi all! Umm, so I bet all you Jacob lovers would like a word with me, wouldn't you? It's quick and easy, just hit the Review button. I would love to hear from you, even if you want to bite my head off right now.**

**A/N: I would like to remind all of you that this is how I imagine Breaking Dawn will go down. Maybe not exactly like this, but along these lines. I do not have it 'in' for any of these characters. In traditional fiction, when you end a series, you have only a few options for wrapping loose ends. The most common tool is to kill the character causing the loose end. Just FYI. **


	17. Mea Culpa

**DISCLAIMER: _Twilight _and all it's wonderful characters belong to the talented Stephenie Meyer. I just write them death scenes and emotional outbursts. **

**A/N: Just wanted to clear up something. Someone voiced it in the reviews and I figured they may not be the only person confused. Aro bit Jake to kill him, not to change him, so Jake is not becoming a vampire.  
Also, the chapter title, _Mea Culpa_, is latin for "my fault"**

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When I looked up in the direction where Edward had flung Aro to see Jasper and Emmett also at his side. I knew the fight between them was over and looked away before they tore Aro's head off. I heard the snap. It made me sick. I wanted to vomit. Soon, Edward was at my side again. He looked down at the body, then back at me.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he said in a low voice, and he sounded like he meant it. This boy that he had been so determined to hate was dead, and he seemed truly saddened. That was Edward. I leaned my head into his chest for a moment before looking up around us. It had grown quiet.

The fighting had stopped. Carlisle was speaking to Marcus and Caius. Rosalie and Emmett and Alice and Jasper were away from them, holding each other tenderly. Esme stood a few feet away from her husband. And the wolves were on there was over to Edward and me, a somber look on each of their faces.

"What happened?" I asked, looking up at Edward with a puzzled expression.

"We killed one of their leaders. We essentially win the fight because we proved we are the stronger opponent. We don't kill our own kind unless absolutely necessary. Bloodshed for the sake of bloodshed has no purpose in the eyes of eternity."

I looked away from his face and back down and the motionless face of Jacob Black. He had sacrificed himself for me. He had seen me in danger and done what he had always done: tried to protect me. I would be eternally grateful to him for saving my life.

I got up and Edward did too, placing his arms around my shoulders as I turned to face the pack who were only a few feet behind us.

"I am so sorry I did this to you all." I said, truly meaning the words. They had only come because Jacob had convinced them too. And he had only asked them because I asked him. I had used Jacob. In many ways, I was responsible for his death. I was going to have to live with that for the rest of eternity.

_Eternity_. I guess I could have that now. There was nothing left to hold me back. The only person I had left in this world was Renee. Oh, perceptive Renee. She would miss me to be sure. But I think, deep in her heart, she would know. She wouldn't know exactly, but she would know that whatever had caused me to drop out of contact with her was making me happy. In the end, that was all she had ever wanted for me. Renee would be okay.

While I knew there was nothing holding me from eternity in the arms of the man I loved, I knew there were still things I had to do before then.

It was Seth who came out of the group of them to pull me in for a hug. "If it was anyone, Bella, Jacob would have wanted to die saving you. And he did," he whispered in my ear. I smiled slightly at his words, but they also brought on a new wave of tears. In 48 hours I had gained a husband and lost my father and my best friend, and, while that had always been the plan, I had never in my darkest dreams thought it would have been like this.

I pulled away from Seth and smiled at him weakly. I walked back toward Edward, who wrapped his arms around me. All the eyes of the pack were on me. I swallowed hard and found my voice.

"I would like to go with you," I directed my comment mostly at Sam, but could see them all looking at me, a few unsure of my meaning. Sam seemed to understand completely, for which I was grateful. I wasn't sure that I could verbalize it further.

He nodded, "Of course Bella. I am sure it would be a comfort to Billy."

I only nodded before I turned toward Edward and let him envelop me entirely in his embrace. I cried into his shirt and he tried to quiet me, to no effect. He led me away from the pack, who were moving Jake's body outside, to my family. The first one I saw was Alice, who ran to me, her arms open. I shook off Edward's to meet her embrace. She whispered her sorrows in my ear while she kind of rocked me. Next was Jasper, who, much to my surprise, pulled me as close as Alice had. I knew how hard that must have been for him, but I understood his actions after one second, when I felt a sense of calm trying to push away all my other emotions.

"I could feel your guilt mixed with your sadness, torment and anger. You were not responsible for their deaths."

I pulled away and looked at them all, who looked back at me with great care and concern in their golden eyes.

"Yes it was." I said, my voice breaking. "All this was my fault. If I had just done what the Volturi wanted us to do, none of this would have happened. Charlie and Jake would still be here. Aro never would have kidnapped Charlie and Jane never would have tortured him. And Jake and the pack never would have come if I hadn't called and asked them. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me. If I had just stayed in Phoenix last year instead of moving to Forks, Jake and Charlie wouldn't be…" I trailed off, my mind not allowing my mouth to shape the word or my voice to speak it aloud.

I lost what little calm I had held onto through my speech and slumped to my knees, my arms wrapped tight around my chest while I sobbed uncontrollably. After an instant, he was at my side, trying to get his arms around me, but I shook them off and continued rocking back and forth.

"Bella…" he whispered, his voice laced with concern.

"No!" was all I could gasp between my sobs. "I know I'm right."

I suddenly felt two icy hands on my shoulders that I couldn't shake off and they forced me to look up at him. I stared into his golden eyes, losing myself in them for the briefest second before he spoke.

"You cannot blame for what has happened Bella. No more than you can stop the night from breaking into dawn. Sometimes things just happen and we have to pick up and move on past it. I never want to regret coming to Forks. And you surely will never find me regretting that, no matter how many people 

you and I care about die. And you know why that is? Because if you had never come to Forks, my existence would be incomplete."

"But Charlie and Jake…" I said.

"Are gone. It's sad. But they would want you to be happy with what you have left, Bella. They died so that you could be happy. So you could have everything you wanted."

His hands let go of my shoulders to pull me close to him. I don't know how long we sat like that, him holding me while I cried on the floor. I could feel the other Cullens' eyes on me, but I couldn't bring myself to meet them. I wasn't sure I could handle their pity.

After what could have been hours, but could have just as easily been minutes, Sam approached us.

"We have both the bodies outside. We need some way to transport them back. Could one of you go get a car?"

"I'll go," I heard Carlisle say and by the time I looked up, he was already gone. Edward helped me to my feet and we walked out of the warehouse, into oncoming night. The setting darkness not only surrounded us, but seemed to engulf my being while it weighed heavily on my heart.

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**So-opinions? Umm, I love hearing from you and what you think of the story because most of the time I don't know whether or not to make heads or tails of it. That, and it makes me happy when the emails show up in my inbox saying I have reviews. It rally makes my day to know someone out here is reading my stuff and enjoying it. **

**This chapter took a lot out of me emotionally and I have some homework to do, so I am going to get to it. So, since you don't have another chapter to read tonight (unless you are reading this after I post the next chapter - in which case I can't help you), why don't you review this one for me? It will make my homework all the more enjoyable!**


	18. Sorrow

**DISCLAIMER: _Twilight _and it's characters do not belong to me (unfortunatly), but the great Stephenie Meyer. Sadness.**

**DEDICATION: This chapter is dedicated to Hollabaloo, who threatened to sick a CGI snow leopard on me if I didnt post another chapter today. I love my fans and therefore, I do as I am told. That and CGI snow leopards chasing me is a scary image.**

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I sat in the passenger seat of the Volvo on the drive to La Push. After Carlisle had gone for one car, Edward and Rosalie had gone back for two more. Sam had given them temporary permission to break the treaty and cross the line in order to stay with me. All the Cullens hadn't wanted to come. Rosalie had taken all of them, except Carlisle and Edward, back to the house to wait for us to return.

I stared at the trees on the drive there trying to think of what I would say to Billy to console him of the loss of his son and his best friend. I knew words were pointless. Nothing I said would change the facts of the situation.

Before I came up with anything, the first little houses on the outskirts of La Push began to appear. I knew we were close. My time was almost up.

While I was still trying to come up with something to say to Billy we pulled up in front of the Black's house. My side of the car was closest to the curb. I sat and stared at the house. I remembered all the times I had pulled up to it and been met with Jake's smile in the doorway. I fought back the tears that were forming. I wanted to be strong for Billy.

Edward took one of my hands from my lift and gave it a reassuring squeeze before he exited the car and opened my door for me. He wrapped me in his arms, so tightly I thought he was trying to give me his strength. I pulled away from him, and looked into his eyes.

"Take your time, love," he said in an almost inaudible whisper. "I'll be waiting right here."

"You're not coming?" I asked in surprise.

"I am probably one of the last people Billy Black wants to see with the news of his son's death."

"I am probably not too far behind you on that list."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Go," he said, almost pushing me forward. I saw the figures of the other members of the pack carrying Jake's body toward the house and I rushed to get ahead of them to open the door. With one look back at Edward, who smiled encouragingly, I pushed open the door to the Black home.

"Jake?" I heard Billy call from somewhere in the back of the house.

"No, Billy," I called, trying very hard to keep my voice even, "it's me."

"Bella?" I heard him question before I saw him appear from the back of the house. "Hi Bella, Jake's not in right now…" he trailed off as his eyes caught sight of what was behind me.

"I'm so sorry Billy." I said as he wheeled past me to the body of his son.

"We'll put him in his room, Billy." Sam said.

Billy only nodded. They moved away from him and once they were gone, he turned to face me.

"How'd it happen?" he asked, calmly – much calmer than I had expected him to be.

"They came to help us fight the Volturi. And when one of them tried to attack me, he flew at him. But he wasn't fast enough. It was one of their leaders, and one of their strongest fighters. He never had much of a chance. Edward and his brothers took care of him. The man who killed your son is dead."

Billy's eyes focused on mine and the sorrow in them was plain.

"I am truly sorry Billy." I said again, my voice breaking. I tried my best to fight back my tears.

Billy nodded. "He cared for you a lot Bella. I daresay he thought he loved you. He wouldn't have wanted to go any other way." He paused before adding, "I should let you get home to Charlie. Or your husband I guess. But stop by Charlie's and give him a hug. Let him know I'll be up soon."

I bit my lower lip and the tears became harder to hold back.

"What is it?" Billy asked, his brow furrowed in puzzlement.

I shook my head. "Charlie didn't make it either." I stated, my voice breaking again.

As my words sank in, you could see the recognition come across his face.

"Oh. Well, in that case, I am truly sorry for you as well."

I smiled weakly at him. "Thank you." I got to my feet and went to take his hand. "I'll leave you to your grieving. Call me when the plans are made?"

"Of course. You do the same."

I nodded and smiled again before seeing myself out of the house. Edward was leaning against the Volvo. He opened his arms as I approached. I ran to him and a few steps away, I tripped over a small rock and fell into his arms. I heard him softly chuckling and I couldn't help but laugh a little too.

"Jake probably got a kick out of that." I whispered as he righted me and held me.

"I can see Charlie's eyes rolling now." Edward whispered back, still chuckling a little.

After cradling me in his arms for a few minutes, he pulled me toward the car and opened the door to let me in. After he closed the door behind me, I looked to Billy's front window as he went around to the other side. He was staring at me from it. I smiled a little and waved. Billy raised one hand in response.

Edward was in the car now. He roared the engine to life and he pulled away from the Black's, Carlisle following with the car that still contained my father's body.

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**So, what did you think? A little uneventful after the last few chapters, but hey, I can't kill someone every chapter. It would get very old, very fast...and I would be rewriting _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_ (which doesnt belong to me either, it belongs to JK Rowling. Again, sadness).**

**So leave me a review! Tell me what you want to see happen. We are getting near the end! Oh, and threaten me with more CGI villians. It gets things done. This chapter is proof of that. Thanks again Hollabaloo.**

**REVIEW PLEASE!! :)**


	19. Remembering Him

**DISCLAIMER: _Twilight_ and all of it's lovely characters belong to the wonderfully talented Stephenie Meyer (whom I regret, is not me). I simply eulogize them.**

**A/N: I'll put a longer one at the end, just wanted to say don't expect another update until Sunday evening.**

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We arrived back at Charlie's house, and, after placing the body in his bed, called the paramedics to pick him up. Carlisle managed to save Charlie from having to undergo and autopsy by telling them that Charlie had had a heart attack not long after my reception ended and had been in his care ever since. When asked why he hadn't brought him to the hospital when it happened, Carlisle told them that it didn't seem that serious and that he had recovered, but hadn't gone to take a nap that afternoon and never woken up. I thanked him as they loaded the body in the ambulance for that. I didn't want to delay the funeral any longer than necessary.

I couldn't stay in the house too long after the ambulance left. It felt hauntingly empty suddenly. I couldn't stand to look around the rooms that had once been our home and know that Charlie would never walk within those walls ever again. Edward led me out to the Volvo and drove me back to his house, where I was met with consoling hugs from all the Cullens, even Rosalie. I was then fed and led upstairs by Edward, where I cried myself to sleep in his arms.

Three days later the eight of us crossed the boundary line once again to attend my best friend's funeral. When Billy had called to inform me when it was, he had made a request of me. As I sat on first beach in a metal folding chair, Edward standing behind me with one hand on my shoulder, I tried my best not to stare at the black urn on the table that held what was left of Jacob, and instead tried to focus on the task at hand. The eight of us had been sat kind of away from the rest of the group, and I could see all of citizens of La Push trying to sneak glances at us whenever they thought we weren't looking.

Near the end of the service, Billy, who had been leading the memorial as a tribal elder, seated in a chair, not his wheelchair, asked me to come and say a few words. This is the task he had given me. He had wanted for me to give a eulogy remembering his son.

"Funny. Foolish. The best friend anyone could ever ask for. This is just a glimpse of Jacob Black. We will never know exactly what he could have become of him had he not been mauled by a bear while hiking with his friends. But I think each of us know what he was while he was with us. He could bring a smile to the face of anyone he was with, no matter how angry or upset that person had been before running into him.

"Jacob was there for me in a time of my life when I really needed a friend. I can safely say that I wouldn't still be here if it wasn't for him. His friendship meant a lot to me and I believe I am a better person for having known him. He made me realize just what I wanted out of life. It's hard for me to believe that the only place I will ever see his impish grin again is in my mind, but –"

I choked on my own words losing my resolve. I saw Edward take a small step toward me from the corner of my eye and I shook my head, taking a few deep breaths as I tried to calm myself down. A sea breeze blew a stray hair in my face which I tucked behind my ear, thankful I had had the foresight to plait my hair for the funeral, before speaking again.

"But, I know that he is still smiling watching all of us today, wishing us not to mourn his death, but to celebrate his life. I'm going to miss you, Jake. And I'll never forget what you did for me. Thank you." I refolded the piece of paper I had read from and went back to my seat.

I was the last speaker and after I was done, Rebecca and Rachel moved to pick up the urn while Billy spoke again.

"May his spirit be free to fly with his ancestors." He nodded and Rebecca lifted the lid of the urn Rachel held and Rachel turned it slightly, allowing the contents to catch the sea breeze and blow away as it fell. I felt a great sadness on my heart as I watched Jacob fly away.

Then it was over and I made my way to the Black's, who were receiving several people. I hugged both Rachel and Rebecca before moving on to Billy, whom I gave a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you for what you said, Bella. It was touching and meant a lot to us all."

I smiled and nodded in response. "We're going to get going, Billy. I'll see you tomorrow."

He clasped my hand and nodded, before letting go. I walked back toward Edward, the only one of his family who had not yet retreated to the cars.

"They couldn't take the smell much longer." He said, answering my unasked question.

I nodded. "None of you had to come, Edward, but it means a lot to me that you did. I can only imagine what this did to Jasper."

"He'll get over it. Tomorrow will make this seem like nothing. And we had to come pay our respects. We owed a lot to Jake. Without the wolves a few days ago, or with the fight with the newborns, I don't things would have turned out so easily in our favor. And I owed him for something else as well."

"What?"

"Saving you when I left you. I will be eternally grateful to him for keeping you safe during that lapse in judgment I had."

I smiled weakly at him, but quickly lost my composure. He cradled me in his arms, while I cried, before supporting me while we walked back to the car. Jasper and Alice were waiting at the Volvo, Rosalie already having left with the other members of my family. When Alice saw us approaching, she ran to hug me and walked the rest of the way on my other side.

I saw Jasper standing at the back door on the driver side waiting for it to be unlocked. He smiled weakly at me and I couldn't help but grin.

"I really sorry Jasper," I said, chuckling a little.

"It's okay Bella. You okay? Want to feel better?"

"Not yet, Jasper. I need to grieve a little more. But I'll let you know when I am ready. And I am really sorry."

I got in the car and we drove out of La Push. It would be years before I sat again on First Beach, but I would still be thinking about this day.

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**AH! Whatever does that last sentence mean?! Heck if I know (J/K)...**

**A/N: Fun info for you. The law in some states (I don't know if specifically WA, because the articles on Google didn't say) is that an autopsy is mandatory if the deceased dies not in the presence of a doctor or in the MD's care for less than 24 hours. That's why Carlisle lies as he does. It had to be more than 24 hours.  
Try as I did to find information on funerals that might occur in La Push, I found nothing. So I totally made it up. I thought it sounded viable, which in the end, is what counts.**

**I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!! We are nearing the end of my story. It will probably be done next week. Only three or four more chapters + an epilogue left. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I want to hear your thoughts.**

**See you Sunday!**


	20. Sorrow in the Heavens

****

DISCLAIMER: _Twilight _and all it's characters are not mine. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I just...well, I just use them to propel my story forward.

**This chapter is dedicated to Captain Swann (and her sister). They know why. And if they don't, well, they can make up a reason why.**

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I awoke the next morning a little afraid. No it was more than fear. Trepidation maybe. I couldn't stay afraid for long as I registered the cold arms holding me tight in the bed. I was safe. But I wasn't afraid because I thought I was unsafe. I was afraid for what today brought with it.

Today was the day I had to bury my father. All of Forks would be there to pay their respects to the fallen Chief Swan and offer their condolences to her recently married daughter. And probably to gawk at her in-laws.

I rolled over to see the face of my husband smiling at me. It wasn't a happy smile, and it wasn't his crooked smile. It was more a smile of encouragement, no doubt an attempt to give me the strength to get through today. He kissed me lightly on the lips.

"Are you ready for today, love?" he asked, the concern coming forward in his eyes, but his smile unfaltering.

"As ready as I will ever be." I replied, shrugging away from his grip a little bit and rising from the bed. I walked over to the window and stared absentmindedly into the fog that hung in the morning air. He was quickly there behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder, looking at the nothing in particular I was so intently focused on.

I sighed, grabbing both his hands and wrapping them more tightly around me, my fingers entwined with his. I began to sway back and forth, closing my eyes, willing this day away with all my might.

"What time is it?" I asked, my eyes still closed.

"11."

"11?!" I exclaimed, my eyes shooting open as I dropped his hands. "Why didn't you wake me up? I should be setting up for the wake at Charlie's house before we have to go to the – "

"Don't worry," he said, re-lacing his fingers in mine. "Alice went there early this morning and did all of that for you."

I sighed in relief.

"I should get dressed, though." I said, once again wrenching free of his hands. I moved away from his window to his closet, taking out the same black dress I had worn to Jacob's funeral yesterday. I only owned one black dress, and I was grateful that Alice had not offered to take me shopping for a new one.

I heard the door clicked behind him as he exited the room for me to get dressed. We may have been married, but he still wouldn't stay when I got my pajamas on at night or dressed for the day in the morning.

I put on my dress and plaited my hair again before I went downstairs to join my family. They were all in their black again, waiting for me. When they saw me, they all silently stood and made their way for the cars in the garage. It must be time to go to the funeral home. I wasn't sure if I had the strength to do this again, but having Edward at my side was comforting.

I silently got into the passenger seat of the shiny, silver Volvo and as soon as Edward had started the car, he grabbed my left hand from my lap and holding it tightly in his right hand, squeezing it reassuringly after we had parked in the space at the funeral home.

He led me inside to the private viewing room where they had Charlie's body. When I entered the room, painted a depressing pale gray, part of me wondering why you would paint an already depressing room that depressing of a color, I sunk into a chair in the back. I couldn't make myself go any further into the room.

I didn't want to see Charlie like that. I wanted to remember him the way he had been when he was alive. It was bad enough that my last memory of my father was him cowering in fear as he died. I didn't need to see him made small in his coffin, forced to look peaceful and made up to look still slightly alive.

Edward took the seat next to me and snaked an arm around my waist. I shook my head in protest of going up to see Charlie and began to cry.

"I know, I know," he said, moving my head to his shoulder and rocking me back and forth. "You don't have to go up if you don't want to Bella. We can just go out to the parlor and take our seats."

I nodded and he helped me to my feet and out into the main parlor, where the people had already begun showing up. I was instantly met by people wishing to offer me their condolences. Among them were many of my fellow graduates who had been in attendance at my wedding some days earlier. It felt like an eternity ago, that day I glided down the aisle toward Edward on Charlie's arm. Charlie had told me how much I reminded him of Renee. I wanted to cry at remembering him, the way things had been so much simpler then, before all of this had happened.

I received hugs from the Newtons, the Webbers, the Stanleys, and even, much to my surprise, the Mallorys, though Lauren's was short and not that meaningful. I guess it's the thought that counts.

Edward took me to the front of the room and sat me between him and Alice. They had brought in Charlie's coffin while I was being hugged, and they had closed the lid.

The officiator began the funeral and several people stood to speak, including several officers who had worked under my father. My time came to speak about Charlie and part of me couldn't do it. That was the part of me that won out, but Alice was nice enough to get up and take my place, saying so many nice things about Charlie, but at the same time such funny stories, I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

I settled for doing both.

After everyone had said their piece, we proceeded to the graveyard, where the police gave their salute, despite that Charlie had not died in the line of duty. I sat a little longer than everyone else, not in a hurry to go to Charlie's empty house filled with all these people. Soon it was only me and Edward at the graveside. He was once again holding my hand in his. As the last stragglers headed to Charlie's house, the rain began to fall from the clouds that had been thick over Forks that day, as if the heavens felt the need to cry over my father's death too.

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**Kind of fluffy, I know, but I am wrapping up loose ends. Let me know what you think. I hope to be updating more frequently now and hope to have this done in two weeks, so there is a week between it's completion and the release of Breaking Dawn.**

**But for now: REVIEW!!**


	21. Moving On

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Twilight _or any of it's characters (unfortunatly). They belong to Stephenie Meyer (lucky). I simply give them the ending I wish them all to have.**

**A/N: To answer a question posed to me in a review, Renee didn't come back for the funeral because she had just left and Bella told her not come. Deleted Scene. It will be a bonus feature on the DVD, no worries.  
Also, as I am sure many of you are aware, Stephenie's website has begun doing the Breaking Dawn Quote of the Day. The quotes within this chapter that are in bold are actual quotes of the day. They do not belong to me, they belong to Stephenie.**

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I accepted so many condolences that day that the faces became a blur in my memories. When I would look back on that day in the years to come, I wouldn't remember who had attended without the aid of a condolence book. But I would remember the love that poured out of that town for my father.

After the last guest had gone home with the last morsel of food, because it didn't make any sense for the Cullens to take the cheese platters home with them, Edward took my hand, as he had so many other times that day, and led me out to his Volvo, driving me back to his house – our house. I made a mental note to tell Edward tomorrow that we needed to call a realtor. I didn't want or need to hold on to Charlie's house.

It was dark when we pulled into the Cullens driveway. I hadn't noticed that it had been dark when Edward walked me to the car at Charlie's, but I hadn't a lot that day. He pulled me inside and straight up the stairs, past his family in the living room. Once in his room, I moved silently to the bathroom to shower, wash my face, brush my teeth and put my pajamas on.

I got into bed and he laid beside me, wrapping his arms around me and humming my lullaby as I fell asleep. The last thing I remember thinking was that 'The long days were over'.

I awoke the next morning, part of me hoping it had all been a terrifying dream. When I sat up in bed, I saw my black dress from the last two days draped over a chair. It hadn't been a dream. It had been very, very real. I looked around myself. Edward wasn't anywhere in the room. He rarely left me in the night. Where had he gone?

I quickly got dressed and moved silently to the stairs. As I walked down them, I heard low voices coming from the living room. I crept to the door frame and could hear what they were saying.

"We'll have to leave if that is to be the case," I heard Carlisle stay. "We can't stay if we change her."

"I'm not even sure if that is something she wants anymore," I heard Edward counter. "After what has happened in the past week, she has seen the full extent of this life. I wouldn't blame her for choosing against it. It has robbed her of two of the people she cared most for – Alice, why are you grinning?"

"Bella has been up for about five minutes now Edward. She's standing in the doorway."

Eight pairs of topaz eyes turned and fell on me where I stood in the doorway of the living room. I grinned sheepishly at them all and waved.

"Morning guys." I said, my smile unfaltering.

"Bella, won't you come and join us? We have been discussing something and it really requires your input." Carlisle said, gesturing me forward. I took one step forward to join Edward when I stopped.

"I heard what you all were talking about. And you're wrong Edward. What I have seen in the past few days has made me all the more ready to join you all. If I hadn't hesitated earlier, none of that would 

have happened and Charlie and Jake might still be alive." I paused. "But I did. And what happened happened. Nothing can change that now. There's nothing left for me in Forks. I wish to begin my life with you. With all of you."

Edward was suddenly at my side. "You're prepared for what that means. We can more than likely never come back here. You'll never see any of your friends from high school ever again: Angela, Jessica, Mike –"

I cut him off. "**Oh, Mike. How will I go on?"** I said, my tone sarcastic. Then I whispered to him, though I knew all the others could hear, "You are the only thing that matters to me now."

He pulled me into a tight hug, kissing me on the forehead. "You are my life now, Bella. If this is what you want, I will be glad to have you." I smiled in his shirt before he lifted my chin and kissed me passionately. I stopped breathing for a moment, but he only broke away when the applause started.

If Edward could blush, I was sure e would have. He had forgotten that we had an audience. We turned to see Alice clapping enthusiastically at my decision, though I knew she must have known what I would choose, and the rest of the family was grinning at us. All except Rosalie. I hoped one day she would come to terms with my decision. Today, was obviously not going to be that day.

"Where to?" Edward said, looking to Carlisle. "North." He stated a second later, matter-of-factly. I realized half this conversation was taking place in their minds. Edward was nodding his head. "Small population, few humans."

"Well, that settles it," Carlisle said, turning to his other children and his wife. "We will leave for Denali this morning. I am sure Tanya will be only too happy to see us."

Edward leaned down to my ear while the rest of the family dispersed to pack all their things. "Let's get you some breakfast," he whispered, leading me to his kitchen.

He made me a delicious omelet for breakfast before he led me out to the car and sat me in the passenger seat of the Volvo. Alice had done all our packing for us. I looked out the window and saw Esme being taken to Carlisle's car. She looked as though if she could be crying, she would be.

Edward got in the car.

"Edward?" I asked, not removing my gaze from Carlisle and Esme. "Why is Esme so sad?"

"She always gets like this when we move on." He grabbed my hand, causing me to look at him. "She'll be fine Bella." He smiled his crooked smile. "Don't worry." I smiled at him as he started the car.

Despite my good night sleep the night before, I fell asleep after we crossed the border into British Columbia. I was shaken awake some time later by Edward. We had arrived. I saw figures moving out to greet us on our arrival, and immediately recognized the one in front from her description, her strawberry blonde hair blowing in the slight breeze. She made a direct path to Edward.

"**Ah, Edward,"** Tanya said, **"I've missed you."**

"Tanya," he said, nodding curtly. "Might I introduce my _wife_, Isabella Cullen."

I held out my hand to her as her eyes grew wide, before a smile spread across her face and she took my hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella."

"Do you have a room for us? We would like to proceed." Edward said, not playing any games with Tanya.

"Of course." She led us inside and all the others followed. Once inside, I met the other members of Tanya's coven. Then Alice, Emmett, Jasper, Esme and Carlisle hugged me before we proceeded upstairs.

"Catch you on the flip side!" Emmett called after us.

Edward led me to a room at the end of the hall. "This was always my room when I come to visit. Tanya said we could use it for the next few days."

I smiled at him, slight fear creeping into my mind. We sat down on the bed, the major piece of furniture in the room. Edward faced me and I faced him. He brushed a hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear. I closed my eyes and sighed at his touch.

"You still have a choice, you know. I am giving you one last chance to back out," he whispered.

"There's nothing left for me but you. I want you _forever_," I whispered in response.

He kissed me lightly on the lips, still holding my face. "Forever," he murmured back. His kisses trailed softly down my neck, across my collar bone and back up. He hovered over the spot on my neck. He kissed it gently and I closed my eyes.

I felt his teeth sink into my neck and the venom's fire spreading throughout my body before I lost consciousness.

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**Duh, duh, duh (dramatic music). OME! What just happened. NO! That is not the ending. Would I be that cruel? ponders question Well, yes, I would be, but I love you all to much to do that to you. Mwahahahahahahahaha.**

**I may post another chapter today, but until then, REVIEW THIS ONE PLEASE!! :)**


	22. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer...and all that that entails. Nor am I J.K. Rowling, a comment that will only make sense if you think this is reminiscent of the epilogue in HP7.**

**A/N: Someone asked me in the reviews of last chapter if Bella and Edward ever did the deed before she was changed. Umm-I am going to let you all use your imaginations. I don't write smut because I don't like reading smut. But they slept in the same bed every night…**

**Also, and perhaps more importantly, this is the end. I know I had some readers who are expecting more and that expectation put me in a compromising position where I had to choose doing what you, the readers, wanted or satisfying myself as an author. I chose to satisfy myself as an author. I have always intended the story to end this way and know that in the long run if I didn't, I would compromise the integrity of the entire story. I am sorry if this is disappointing to you all, but all good things must come to an end. Even the immensely guilty pleasure that is Twilight. And so it goes…**

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_30 years later_

I sat on a familiar log looking into a tide pool, then diverting my gaze to out over the ocean. I remembered the first time I had sat in this spot, a different man at my side. That man, more of a boy then, had warned me of "the cold ones". I smiled as I remembered the young Jacob Black and how he had looked on that day. So innocent, not believing the myth, or in the monsters that existed in it. I was vaguely aware of what his reaction would have been if he could have seen me today. If he could have seen me become one of his monsters.

A stony hand, which didn't feel quite as stony against my own anymore, gripped mine and squeezed it. I looked to my left into Edward's honey eyes and met his smile with one of his own. I squeezed back with matched strength. He was still the most beautiful creature I had ever beheld. And the look in his eyes told me he was thinking the same thing. Without speaking, we both rose from the rock at the same time and began walking down the beach, back toward where we had parked.

The beach had long since been deserted, the last remnants of attendants at the funeral having gone on their way to the wake, leaving Edward and I alone. As we meandered back to our car, I remembered with a smile our purpose here. In a lot of ways, it had served as my first true test. Not necessarily attending this funeral, but being around so many people as the town of Forks presented within its boundaries. Edward had been hesitant to let us stay here for more than the hour or so the funeral would last, but I wanted to visit Charlie's grave. And I wanted to test myself, and find out just how strong I had become in the last three decades.

When I had woken up, after Edward had done what he had promised me, the bloodlust was insatiable. I was thirsty constantly and it was hard for me whenever we went into to town to resist the urge to pounce on an unsuspecting human. I hated that side of myself and tried not to dwell on the years my family had hid me away for my own protection to keep me from becoming a monster. But this visit had proven to me my own willpower. I thought that I finally be over it and used to the life that the Cullens lived.

Edward rarely left my side. When he hunted, we hunted together. There were few places I was ever alone. And I liked it that way. I was afraid after I woke up that he might leave me, having only loved my human side, my human smell. But immortality had strengthened his love for me, not weakened it as I 

had feared it would. There was a new passion in his eyes every time he looked at me. Finally I was just as strong as he was. He no longer had to worry about breaking me.

I had been shocked when I got the phone call that had brought me to the rainy town of Forks and First Beach that day. I had resigned myself that I would never be able to return here. So when the phone rang and the unmistakable voice of Sam Uley was on the other end, I was so shocked, I had almost dropped the phone.

"Bella?" he asked.

"Yes, this is Bella Cullen. May I ask who this is?"

"Bella, it's Sam." The shock ran through my system and must have shown on my face because Edward looked at me in alarm. I was still the only person whose thoughts he could not hear. And I still used this thought to my advantage.

"Hello, Sam." I said, still rather puzzled.

"Bella, I am calling because of a clause in a Will. Billy died two days ago. Natural causes. It was quite peaceful. Rachel and her family had been staying with him. He went to take a nap and just never woke up."

I nodded as I listened, though I was still confused as to why Sam was calling me. What Edward had done to me violated the treaty entirely.

"The reason I am calling, Bella, is that it is written in Billy's will that you be called and notified of his death and that you be allowed to return to Forks to attend the funeral. He also wished, that with his death, we may rewrite the lines of the treaty that would allow your family to return to Forks if they wished. He basically wanted us to sanction what happened to you. I think he had gone soft in his old age, realizing what love really meant."

I was sure if I still had the ability to tear up, I would have at Sam's words. In Billy's old age he had basically reversed his position on me and the Cullens. Wasn't that how it always worked though? It is only once you live your entire life that you see the world as it really is. How simpler life would be if you had that knowledge to start with. There would surely be a lot less heartache.

"The funeral is in two days. It would mean a lot to him if you would come. I know Jake would have wanted you there."

"Of course I'll be there, Sam. And thank you. For everything."

"Thank Billy. It was his idea."

It had been nice to be able to return to Forks. Of course the entire family couldn't come. It had not been long enough for them to not be recognizable to the citizens of the small town. I had changed enough in physical appearance that I was able to be out among them. That thought had worried Edward, but I 

promised him that I would be on my best behavior. I was simply curious, and there was a phone book in the hotel room. I had driven past the Cheney's house and saw Angela working in her garden while a girl of about 20 chased a girl who couldn't have been much more than 3. Grandma, I had heard the little girl call, which caused Angela to look up. Angela was a grandmother.

My next stop had been the Newtons, where I saw Mike out cutting his lawn, a baseball cap on his head. When his wife, who I recognized almost instantly as Jessica, brought him a glass of water, he removed the cap to wipe his brow. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. He had gone bald prematurely. Sitting under a tree in their front yard, reading a book, was a teenage girl. She was the spitting image of Jessica.

I saw the Crowley's as well, Lauren obviously dying her hair to keep it that color and the victim of several plastic surgeries no doubt. I had ended with a visit to my father's grave.

However, on this trek down memory lane, I didn't regret not being able to see my daughter read a book under a tree in our front yard or hear someone call me Grandma. I was happy with my life. I wouldn't have traded it for the world.

As we walked back to the car, I stopped, cocking my head to one side.

"What is it, Bella?" I heard Edward asked, as I searched around me for the source of this sense. It wasn't long after I had awoken that I had discovered the enhanced sense I had brought with me to immortality. Being the danger magnet I had been when I was alive, I could now sense danger as it approached. It wasn't quite Alice's ability – I couldn't see anything. I could just feel that something was off, and that something bad was coming.

"I have a feeling." I whispered, looking at Edward.

"Love, we're in the middle of a colony of werewolves. Of course you have a feeling." He flashed his crooked smile at me.

I chuckled and smiled back. We arrived at the car. I got in the Silver Volvo (**A/N: Yes, I realize 30 years later that Edward would probably not be driving the same car, but I have decided he would stick with the same color and make because it was part of what Bella had loved about him**) taking one last look at the beach. Edward got in the other side and started the engine.

"Let's go home, love," he said, still smiling.

"Let's. Alice is probably dying to take me shopping for more clothes I don't need."

"But you look so good in them, Mrs. Cullen. You should let her indulge her fancy more often."

I smiled as he leaned over and kissed me. I knew one day we would return to the town where it all had began. Who knew what we would find then, what adventure would await us. But none of that mattered. Because in that moment, with Edward's lips on mine, my life was perfect.

And if I had had a heart, it would have stopped beating at his touch.

**

* * *

**

**There you have it. My version of the events of **_**Breaking Dawn**_**. I want to take a minute to thank all of you for all your support while I wrote this. I had never written fan fiction before, but loved every minute of this. I hope you all liked the way I ended it. If not, feel free to complain at me in reviews. **

**Also, you may want to put me on Author Alert. I have some stuff I have been toying around with, a new Edward AU story that will not want to be missed, and a hilarious Alice One-shot which promises to cause a giggles. Also, I will more than likely be moved to write something once **_**Breaking Dawn **_**is released. So I beg you all to stay tuned.**

**Special thanks goes out to: (my wonderful reviewers!!)  
Captain Swann (and her sister)  
Dances With Werewolves  
Oboe.Piano  
mystikalfiredragon  
My Beloved  
Sienna Logan  
lolly12  
flower123  
TheLionFellInLoveWithTheLamb  
PennyBack  
thepinkpanthergirl  
Shadowgirl61  
UrEveryDayDork  
Kristy75  
Silvwa  
summereclipse  
Hollabaloo  
veroniquerachel  
lotrchick3  
Emily M Cullen  
Starla Ann Grace  
flutemarcher  
I-punched-a-werewolf  
NicolieTheGoalie  
xxtwins  
Faerie of Murtagh  
Emo Fanpire  
iLovEdward  
LebaneseBella08TJ  
Angeliquenicole  
corectormaritza  
leilar  
****XFrEaKyDeAkY101X  
PiPBiTESALOT  
Poetique  
vampirelova99**

**I really do appreciate everyone who reviewed. I look forward to hearing your opinion on my next stories. Thanks for everything you did for this one. I never imagined it would be this popular.**

**Yours,  
WannaBet**


	23. New Story

**Hey guys. **

**I have a new story out. It's called Anyone At All. Check it out!!**

**Lots of Love-  
Wannabet-theoriginal**


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